Life's Limits
by FantasticWorld
Summary: Lorcan once saved Grace from a watery death, but now the tables have turned and it's Grace's turn to be the hero. But how much can she sacrifice for his rescue? Rated T for later chapters.
1. Prologue

_**All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**_

"Grace?" A softly spoken voice filled her ears.

Grace's eyes flickered open slowly, and she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

The pallor face of Lorcan soon materialised into view, and she gazed wearily up at him. She was slightly irritated that he woke her up from her well earned slumber, but not enough for her to mention it.

"I'm sorry I woke you," He whispered apologetically, sitting down in the armchair next to her bed, "I think you forget sometimes that you are not a vampire; you sleep a lot in the daytime now."

Grace smiled gently, "Well, in case it has escaped your attention, I haven't slept in two days. Surely you could let me off this once?"

It was true that Grace hadn't slept in a while. This was because the Captain was still in some kind of coma, and it had been four days since Mosh Zu had performed treatment on him and the apparitions rose from beneath his mask. Mosh Zu had called upon Grace every time he tried something else on the Captain, and his requests had been frequent. Of course, Grace was happy to help in any way possible, but it had utterly drained her to do so.

"You're excused," Lorcan flickered a smile, but it soon faded.

"What's the matter?" Grace yawned, pushing herself up so she could speak to him properly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes strayed from her face and no words passed his lips. He closed his mouth for a moment, then looked back up at her.

"I'm sorry, Grace, I shouldn't have woken you up like this. You need your sleep."

He went to rise and leave, but Grace kept hold of his hand, stopping him from going out of her reach.

"You're right, I _do _need my sleep. And since you have woken me, I will not rest until I know what you wanted to say," She said kindly, pulling lightly on his hand.

He looked longingly back at her, "You're not going to like this, Grace,"

That made her concerned; he hadn't spoken to her like that before.

"Lorcan, what's wrong? You're scaring me." She said seriously back.

He sat back down and looked at her, squeezing her hand.

"Have you thought about what I said at all?" He asked finally, after a pause, "Have you thought about leaving?"

"No," Grace sighed, "I haven't had the time lately, why?"

"Grace," Lorcan frowned, "You really have to. I have told you before, it really would be best."

She looked back at him, hurt, "You really want me to go, don't you?"

She hadn't understood why he kept asking her to leave. It saddened her slightly, since she had stayed specifically for Lorcan, waiting for him to recover from his blindness. Then, when he did recover, one of the first things he told her was to leave."You know it's not that," He replied immediately, "You know it Grace. You know that one day your luck will run out."

"I know," Grace agreed, "But I'm not going to leave now. The Captain and Mosh Zu need me." She sighed, "I stayed to help _you_, Lorcan. Now you're OK, I need to help the Captain. I'm not going to leave now."

"I understand," He nodded, "And I'm grateful for that, _very _grateful, but you need to know why I'm asking. You know I like having you here."

Grace opened her mouth to say something, but the door to her room burst open. And standing in the doorframe was a rather flustered Mosh Zu.

"Grace," He panted, his usually calm and peaceful face was creased with lines of thought and frustration, "Grace, the Captain…I think he's waking up!"

Without thought, Grace dropped Lorcan's hand, threw back the bed covers and rushed off after the vampire guru.

Lorcan followed, hot on her tail, and the three of them ploughed into the Captain's room.

They all stopped dead at the strange sight that was before them.

The Captain _was _awake. He was sitting up, perfectly normally, chatting to a shaken Darcy.

The Captain looked over to the three, his expressionless mask gazing over to them, "My, that was quite the entrance, I must say." His familiar hissing voice seeped into their minds.

No one moved or said anything for a moment, too amazed at the Captain's consciousness.

"Captain," Mosh Zu breathed finally, "How are you feeling?"

"Very good. And, as Darcy says here, it seems to me I have you and Grace to thank." He replied.

"You're welcome," Mosh Zu and Grace said slowly in unison.

Then there was silence.

It seemed strange to Grace that the Captain's waking occurred so calmly. She would have expected to be rushing about trying to keep him stable with countless pots and bottles of Mosh Zu's lotions and potions. But then again, she realised, calm was the manner of the Captain. Never once had she seen him furious, upset or hurt. He always seemed so level headed.

"So," Darcy sniffed, "What now?" She asked dumbly.

That caused Grace and Lorcan to smile a little; the whole situation just seemed slightly…comical.

"Now, Darcy," Mosh Zu replied, also smiling, "I should like to have a word in private with the Captain, if he would allow it."

"Of course," The Captain nodded.

Darcy rose from her seat and walked over to Grace and Lorcan by the door.

"It is good to see you back, Captain," Grace smiled unsurely at him, as she clicked the door openly, not so hasty this time.

"Thank you, Grace. It is good to be back."

Then, the three friends left Mosh Zu and the Captain to talk.

They all took a seat in the small lounge outside the Captain's room.

"Well, that was bizarre." Lorcan said after a length of time.

"Yes," Grace agreed, trying to process the event through her mind again.

"I was just sitting there, then Mosh Zu came rushing in, then ran out in a panic. Then the Captain woke up. Then all of you burst in." Darcy said flatly, "I suppose it was funny in some kind of way."

The three of them sat in silence for what seemed a very long time.

Finally, Mosh Zu came out alone, and closed the door behind him.

"The Captain appears to be completely fine. I shall keep him here for a few more days just to make sure he is OK, then, I am glad to say, I think Lorcan and Darcy can return to their ship with their Captain." He concluded.

"What about Grace?" Darcy asked suddenly.

Mosh Zu didn't reply, and all eyes were on Grace.

She looked over to Lorcan, who looked at her sadly with those round blue eyes.

She shook her head sadly, and her chin sank into her chest.

Grace was shroud with thought, and didn't notice the Captain's door open.

"Grace, could I speak with you for a moment?"

For some reason, which Grace couldn't quite comprehend, his whisper filled her with dread, and a strange sense of loss. It was as she knew what he had to say.


	2. I'll miss you

_**All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**_

Another four days had passed since the Captain's awakening, and the decision on Grace's fate had been decided. She was to return to the Pirate Academy and stay there with Connor.

It enraged her to think that she was supposed to spend the rest of her life at a Pirate Academy, when she didn't have the slightest intention at all to become a pirate.

She had asked if she could stay with Mosh Zu at Sanctuary and help him with the vampires, and although it had been thoroughly discussed, they had come to the conclusion that the dangers would be no less, and therefore forbid her to stay.

Gradually they eliminated each option until they came to the Pirate Academy.

Grace had also clearly stated that her life would still be just as risky living the life of a pirate, but they said it was still the safest option.

So, that day Grace packed her things and left to go to the ship that was going to be her transport. _The Diablo_.

Even though Connor wasn't part of the crew anymore, Cate and Bart still insisted they'd take her after Mosh Zu contacted them and requested it. Though it was much to Captain Mollucco Wrathe's displeasure.

Now, she stood in front of the gangway that led her onboard. Lorcan, Darcy and Mosh Zu stood before her. She had bid the Captain goodbye at Sanctuary, and came with the rest of them down to the docks.

"Goodbye Grace," Mosh Zu frowned, "You have been the most wonderful assistant I have ever had. You truly have an art for healing."

"Thank you," She attempted a smile, but failed as tears bit into her eyes, "I wouldn't have come anywhere near as far as I have come without you."

He shook her warmly by the hand as Grace turned to Darcy.

Tears already poured out of her eyes and she threw her arms around Grace and squeezed her as tightly as she could, "Oh Grace, I feel dreadful; this really is goodbye!"

Grace felt the tears escape from her eyes too when she realised Darcy was right.

As the pretty, gracious Darcy sobbed into her shoulder she realised that she was never going to see her again.

After what seemed like an age, they were parted by Bart's reluctant call of 'You have ten minutes!'

Darcy took Grace's hands in her own lightly and wiped Grace's eyes.

"Look at us, sobbing and crying like old ladies." She smiled wetly, "I shan't forget you, Miss. Tempest, and you'd best not forget me, you hear?"

"Yes, Darcy," Grace cried back, "There's nothing in this world that will make me forget you."

"Best of luck for the future," She sniffed as she handed you down the line to Lorcan, who was also crying, but discreetly.

His shimmering blue eyes peered into her green ones with sadness, and they stayed there for a moment, as if not believing they weren't going to see each other ever again.

Wordlessly, Lorcan threw his arms around her and held Grace to his chest.

Grace wrapped his arms around him too, feeling the uncontrollable sobbing coming back to her. She couldn't sustain a helpless whimper as she buried her face into his chest.

'Five minutes!'

That only made her hold him tighter; she never wanted to leave him.

"Grace," Lorcan began wobbly, pulling her away from him a little, "Take this."

In his outstretched palm glittered his claddagh ring.

"No," Grace shook her head, "You don't have to give me anything, Lorcan, especially that."

"I _want _you to have it, Grace," He said quietly, taking her hand in his and slipping the ring on her thumb.

As the chill metal brushed against her skin, she shivered. It was very loose, but it was the best fit. She knew she'd have to put it on her necklace, as she had once before.

"But I have nothing to give you," She replied just as quietly.

"That doesn't matter," Lorcan enfolded Grace in his arms once more and pressed his cold lips against her cheek.

A fresh batch of tears seeped from her eyes as she felt Lorcan rest his chin on the top of her head, and his tears slip down her hair.

'Time to go!'

"I'll miss you, Gracie."

"I'll miss you."

Grace sighed, gathering every fragment of bravery she could muster, and stole a final glance at a tearing Darcy and a glassy eyed Mosh Zu.

She let out one final whimper of deflation, and kissed Lorcan's cheek before rushing off up the gangway.

She reached the top of the gangway and stood up on the deck of _the Diablo _with Cate and Bart, and gazed down at the dearest friends she'd ever had.

The gangway was lowered and the ropes were untied in what seemed as a blur, and Grace soon found herself waving goodbye to the friends she wasn't going to see again for a long time. It wasn't truly goodbye, but of course, Grace didn't know it.


	3. Pirate Academy

_**All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**_

"Come on, Grace, you'd better get some sleep," Cate frowned sympathetically as Darcy, Lorcan and Mosh Zu faded from view.

It was a beautiful night; the stars were out and shining, as was the moon, and the waves lapped gracefully against the side of the ship.

"I'm not used to sleeping at night anymore," Grace sighed sadly, fiddling with Lorcan's ring.

"They haven't turned _you _into a vampire now, have they?" Bart smiled, "We couldn't have that now."

Grace frowned and shook her head, then allowed Cate to lead her to her cabin.

"How long will it take to get to the academy?" Grace asked as her and Cate descended down some stairs into the shady corridors beneath the decks.

"A couple of days, no more," She replied, opening one of the first doors they came to.

Grace entered the cabin and looked around nonchalantly. It was small and cluttered, but she didn't care; she was too upset to care.

"I don't know what you're used to," Cate began, "But -"

"It's fine. Thank you, Cate." Grace cut her short, attempting yet another smile, and failing yet again.

"OK," She said slowly, eyeing Grace curiously, "You really liked those vampire folk, didn't you?"

Grace nodded and looked at the floor, "Yeah, I liked them."

Cate nodded, as if understanding something, "OK. Well, I'll be out on deck with Bart for some of the night, and my cabin is five doors left from yours. If you need anything, just come and get me, alright?"

Grace nodded again.

Cate went over to the door, but turned back at Grace before she left, "And…try to get some sleep, OK?"

Grace once again, merely nodded.

As she heard the door click shut, she collapsed onto the narrow, lumpy bed, exasperated. Her eyes ached from tearing, and her face was hot and sticky.

She lay there for a moment, looking up at the shade-less light bulb, swinging in parallel motion to the ship.

Then she unfastened the golden locket around her neck. It was the one Connor had given her a while ago, and he had an identical one that he always wore too.

She sighed loudly as she slipped Lorcan's claddagh ring onto the chain, and it fell into place behind the locket. She slid it back into place around her neck and she stared at the light sway again.

She laid there for what seemed like an age, not crying, unblinking, her face expressionless. After a while, she soon drifted off into a shallow, uneasy slumber, where visions of her past on the vampirate ship awaited in her dreams.

Half an hour after she had closed her eyes, there came a gentle knock on the door of her cabin.

"Grace?" A voice said softly, and the door screeched open.

A shaft of early morning light settled on her face, warming her skin.

Grace woke with a start and squinted at the intruder.

She made out the muscular figure of Bart, and swung her legs off the bed.

"Morning," He said happily, clicking the door shut behind him, "How did you sleep?"

"Honestly," Grace yawned wearily, "I don't think I did."

Bart came over and crouched by her bed, looking at her square in the face.

"Christ, Grace, you look dreadful. Are you sick?"

Grace shook her head and yawned again, "What time is it?"

"It's 8AM," He replied, "Perhaps you'd like to get some water on your face. I don't know if Cate showed you, but you have a small en-suite just by the bottom of your bed near the porthole."

Grace looked over to the wall by her bed, and sure enough, a little golden handle stuck out of some wooden panels.

"Oh yeah, she didn't. Thanks, I will."

"OK," Bart stood up, "When you're done, come up on deck. Me and Cate will be up there."

"OK," Grace nodded as he left.

She would have gone back to sleep, but she knew she had to get back into a mortal's way of life. She had to get into her _new _life, without vampires and rebels and vampirate gurus and healing. She had to leave that behind her, as much as it pained her to do so.

She dawdled into the bathroom carelessly. She flicked on the light just outside and looked into the mirror.

She gasped when she saw her face. She gave herself quite a shock; her skin was deathly pale, and deep dark bags weighed under her eyes. She looked like a vampire herself.

She slowed her breathing and splashed cool water on her face from the taps. She felt fresher, but her looks didn't improve.

Reluctantly, she washed and dressed, then went out onto the deck to meet Bart and Cate.

"_She looks dreadful. I'm really worried about her."_

"_I'm sure she doesn't look that bad. The vampire stories have got into your head."_

"_You'll know what I mean when you see her."_

"_You're crazy."_

Grace looked at the floor self-consciously as she shuffled her feet towards the voices. She didn't have to see their faces to know it was Bart and Cate that were talking about her.

"Good morning, Grace!" Cate smiled cheerily.

"Morning," Grace replied, raising her head.

Cate looked shocked at the sight of her, "How are you…um…feeling?""Tired," Grace said honestly.

"Yes, I can see that." Cate mumbled under her breath, "Bart did say you didn't sleep very well."

"I'll be fine." Grace said, very unreassuringly.

"Well, maybe we should get something warm inside of you." Cate smiled, taking Grace's arm, "Lets go and get some breakfast."

Grace's passive, sickly attitude didn't change over the voyage, though it didn't get worse. With each passing day, Grace felt she needed Connor more and more, since she had been deprived of Lorcan or Darcy.

So, when they arrived at the Pirate Academy and Grace saw Connor's smiling face there to greet her, she felt a tremendous weight lift from her shoulders, and she felt more like herself for the first time in many days.

Bart and Cate noticed the colour return to her face as she practically flew down the gangway and slammed into Connor.

"Hi," Connor grinned into his sister's now long, auburn hair.

"Hi," Grace felt a smile creep across her face. It felt weird to be smiling again.

"Hey buddy," Bart laughed from behind them.

Grace and Connor broke apart so Connor could speak to his friends.

"Bart! Thank you so much for bringing Grace!" Connor grinned as they gave each other a 'man hug'.

"Anything for you, buddy." Bart smiled as Cate walked up beside him.

"Hey Connor, how ya doing?" Cate grinned too and she scuffed Connor's head with her knuckles.

"Hey!" He laughed playfully, knocking her hand away.

"Grace looks better already," Bart nodded to Grace, ever smiling, "You look after her, Connor, OK?"

Connor smiled back at his twin, "Yeah. No problem."

Bart and Cate stayed for a day before setting off again. Captain Mullocco Wrathe was never seen.

Grace and Connor escorted Bart and Cate back down to the docks, where they bid goodbye and watched _The Diablo _float off to the horizon.

Just as the great ship turned into a speck on the skyline, someone came from behind them.

They both turned around to see two familiar figures standing next to a familiar sign.

The sign read:

**PLENTY AND SATIETY,**

**PLEASURE AND EASE,**

**LIBERTY AND POWER.**

Grace had never liked the Pirate Academy's maxim very much, but it always seemed to light the fire in Connor's eyes.

And, standing next to the sign was Cheng-li and Commodore Kuo, the Headmaster of the Academy.

"Well, they _are _two familiar faces," Cheng-li smiled, "How are you, Grace?"

"I'm fine, thank you." She replied.

"Hello," Commodore Kuo smiled at her, "I haven't seen you for a while, now."

"No," Grace shook her head, "I didn't actually think I'd ever return here, but I guess I was proved wrong."

"It is a pleasure to have you here. Why, if you are a sister of Connor's, then you are definitely a highly valued guest." The Commodore smiled.

"Thanks,"

The two pirates led Connor and Grace to their quarters. Commodore Kuo and Connor were chatting away about swords and raids, whereas Cheng-li and Grace were talking about something far more civilized.

"Is it not that tree that you visited the vampirate ship by?" Cheng-li inquired.

"Yes," Grace nodded as the tree. It was laden with fleshy green leaves and plump green fruits.

"What tree is it?"

"A fig tree, most beautiful when it is in bloom," Cheng-li smiled.

They discussed various types of flowers and plants until they reached the room.

"Tell me Grace, honestly," Cheng-li asked quietly, as the Commodore and Connor entered the room, "Do you wish to become a pirate?"Grace swallowed hard and looked up at Cheng-li, "Honestly?" She sighed, "I don't have any intention on becoming a pirate."

"Why not?" She inquired. Though, it wasn't asked as though demanding a good reason not to, but more in a way of looking for a particular reason.

"Because…" Grace looked warily around her, to ensure that niether Connor or the Commodore were listening.

"Because I don't want to steal on the impulse of greed. I don't want to be responsible for any death, which is quite likely I may have to if I become a pirate. And I _don't _want to have to be trained to become something I really don't want to be." It all came out in a breath, almost like some kind of verbal diarrhoea.

Grace put a hand to her mouth, expecting Cheng-li to become insulted or enraged. But when she glanced up, Cheng-li was smiling. _Smiling_.

"I understand you, Grace." Cheng-li nodded, "I need to speak with Commodore Kuo right now. Perhaps I could see you in my office this evening around six?"

"Yes, OK." Grace nodded slowly.

"Bring Connor with you too." She said, "And, until then, I wish you a pleasant day."

"You too."

Just at that time, the Commodore came out from the room without Connor. Cheng-li jumped over to him and plunged into conversation immediately.

Grace walked into the room to find Connor practising moves with his sword in the middle of the room.

Grace came closer to him, almost intrigued.

Suddenly, without warning, Connor swept around full speed and eyes closed in concentration. He made a perfect silver arc and came plummeting down on Grace. Everything happened very slowly, as if speed was denying time.

Grace froze, in hope that he'd realise that she was there; the swing looked strong enough to knock her head off her shoulders, literally.

He didn't notice her.

The blade was creeping closer by the second.

Then, everything sped up, as time overcame the speed once more. And at a loss of what to do, Grace planted a hand firmly on Connor's wrist, pushing it away from her.

The blade halted in the air immediately, and Connor's eyes popped open. He stared at Grace in horror as he saw the sword in his own hand a hairline fracture away from Grace's neck.

He gulped as the blade cluttered to the floor.

Grace's heart was racing, and it was then she realised the true horrible danger of a sword. The blade, that cold instrument of death, could kill in an instant, and could live for an eternity. And to her disgust, she could think of something more…human, that could work with the same technique.

She understood why she had been asked her to leave the world of the vampirates.


	4. Choices

_**All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**_

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Ah, Connor, Grace! Do come in." Cheng-li looked up from a pile of papers.

Connor and Grace entered the office single file and sat down silently.

Cheng-li lowered the papers and took a breath before looking up.

"So, you're probably wondering why I asked you both to come in here?"

"Yes," The twins replied in unison; for neither of them had a clue on why they had been called to her office.

"Well, to be perfectly honest, this doesn't have much to do with Connor. This discussion is more focused on Grace." Cheng-li tapped her pen on her desk, "Therefore if you'd prefer, Connor, you may leave now. I just thought it would be more polite to invite you both."

Connor looked at Grace intently, "I'm going to stay, thank you."

"Very well." That didn't seem to bother either Grace or Cheng-li.

"I am going to get straight to the point," She sighed, "It is quite plain that Grace doesn't want to become a pirate, can you see that Connor?"

Connor hesitated awkwardly, "Yes, but she can't -"

"And do you think it will do for her to sit around all day for heaven knows how long being completely idle?" She cut him short.

"No, but -"

"And do you think it would be fair to train her against her will?"

"No, but if you'd just let me -" Connor stammered.

"No, I didn't think so either." Cheng-li looked over to Grace kindly, "Therefore we shall not train her, and she will not become a pirate."

"But will you -" Connor tried again.

"We will not send her back to the vampirate ship either, and I'm sure she understands why." Cheng-li replied, without having to hear the question.

"I understand now." Grace nodded.

"Good," Cheng-li sighed, "Because the last thing we need is you galloping off like last time," She said it kindly, but the words had traces of seriousness in them.

"No." Grace reassured her, "That's not going to happen anymore."

"Good." Cheng-li nodded smiling, "You know, this is proving to be easier than I anticipated. If I had tried to tell you this last time you were here, you wouldn't have had any of it."

"I've changed a lot since then." Grace shrugged simply.

"Yes, you have." Cheng-li agreed.

She looked at Grace for a minute for a moment, before going back to what she was saying.

"However, we need to find something for you to be getting on with to fill your time." Cheng-li said, "And I have been having ideas."

"Like what?" Connor asked on Grace's behalf.

"I am willing to take Grace on as a student of my own. I can teach her general knowledge, history, languages, movement strategies, anything incorporated with life at sea…_and_ something which may be to her favour," Cheng-li kept her eyes locked with Grace's, "I can teach you about various Chinese herbal medicines, and some healing arts."

The idea of Chinese medicine _did _appeal to Grace, but she knew there was more to what Cheng-li was suggesting than she was letting on.

"Why do you want to teach me these things?" Grace asked quietly, "What are you expecting as a result?"

"It's a programme that I have invented," Cheng-li said, looking back down at her papers.

"What kind of programme?" Grace pressed.

"It's a programme for…a particular job that I need someone to do." She said slowly, "And, to be honest, you fit the bill perfectly, Grace."

"What's the job?"

"It's confidential," Cheng-li muttered, "But, I will have to let you in on the basic principles of the matter. I need someone, just one person, to get into a building with extremely high old-school security, grab something, and then get out. Undetected."

Grace raised an eyebrow, "I don't like the sound of it."

"No, I didn't think you will." Cheng-li shook her head, "But I need to get someone to accomplish some of these tasks well so as to get the full approval of the Commodore to train other students of the Academy. You could consider yourself a guinea pig, if you like."

Grace bit her lip, "Then Commodore Kuo doesn't like the idea of it?"

Cheng-li sighed and glanced out of the windows for eavesdroppers, "Commodore Kuo doesn't know. And I wish for it to stay that way."

"Why doesn't he know?" Connor snapped, "What is this job, Cheng-li?"

Cheng-li sighed awkwardly, "I mentioned my plans to the Commodore before, he didn't like it."

"I'm not doing anything for anyone unless I know what I am doing it for," Grace sighed, "So, Captain, either you tell me what you want me for or I will walk out of this office."

Cheng-li glared at Grace, "Fine. You want to really know what I want?"

"Yes," Connor retorted.

"I want to prove my theory," Cheng-li muttered, "_You'll see a new dawn of piracy_…does that not sound familiar?"

Grace scowled, "Does '_I have no intentions of becoming a pirate_'sound familiar?"

"You don't understand, Grace," Cheng-li shook her head, "I'm not teaching you how to be a pirate. I'm teaching you how pirates should be thinking. I want to teach you what it takes to succeed in life."

"And you claim you can teach me that?" Grace raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Grace." Cheng-li sounded exasperated, "Think about it. You've entered a world which not many have: the one of the vampires. There will come a time when you will be called back to it, mark my words, and there will come a time when you're going to have to make choices. You've tampered with vampires, and Connor's tampered with pirates, and the two things combined will create something even more sinister."

"That's not true," Grace snapped.

"You don't fool me Grace," Cheng-li sneered, "I know of the rebels and the incidents at Sanctuary."

Grace gasped. How did she know? How could she know?

"They're not all like them." Grace stammered, utterly confused.

"That doesn't matter; they're still out there." Cheng-li softened her voice, "I didn't mean to come out on you like this, and I'm sorry. But there's so much more to me than you think you know. I know things…" Cheng-li stopped herself and hesitated, "I know you and Connor aren't anything ordinary. It was no coincidence that Grace ended up on a ship of Vampirates and Connor on a ship of regular pirates. You both have a fate, a destiny. I do not know why or what for, but I _know _you have one."

There was silence.

The whole 'destiny' thing was news to them both, and had baffled them both to the point of madness; Cheng-li had thrown too much at them at once.

"What does this have to do with you teaching me?" Grace shattered the silence.

"I know what life may bestow upon you; I have already witnessed it." Cheng-li frowned, "I want to teach you the things that will stop you from having to make the choices your mother did."


	5. Lessons

_**All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**_

It had been one week since the meeting with Cheng-li in her office. And Grace was now Cheng-li's full time student.

"Traditional Chinese medicine can be shown to be influenced by the religions Taoism, Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism." Cheng-li said, matter-of-factly.

"Neo-Confucianism?" Grace asked as she scribbled what Cheng-li had just said down on paper.

"Neo-Confucianism is a modern type of an ancient Chinese ethical and philosophical system. It is a complex system of thoughts on good, sociable, philosophical and quasi-religious matters."

"Right…" Grace bit her lip as her hand moved in a blur across the page.

"I also suggest you make a note of the different types of treatment too before we even think about beginning." Cheng-li added.

"Uh, OK. Acupuncture?"

"Yes, and Moxibustion." She added.

Grace sighed, and looked up at Cheng-li wearily, "How many are there?"

"I can think of about…twelve."

Grace sighed bitterly, "This is all so confusing, would you mind if we gave it a break for a moment?"

Cheng-li sighed and nodded, "Alright, then."

They walked in silence along the winding paths through the trees toward the sea. The shimmering blue waves in the sunlight caught Grace's eye and held them, entranced by their movement. And, for a moment, she could have sworn she saw a ship on the horizon, but it disappeared before she could see it properly.

She thought it was her mind playing tricks on her, but she couldn't help having the feeling of hope inside her, beating in time with her heart. She hoped it was _The Nocturne_. Or rather, she wanted it to be. She wanted the ship to return and pick her up and tell her it was all a mistake. She wanted Lorcan back, and Darcy too. She wanted to feel wanted again. Of course, Connor wanted her with him, but that was it; Cheng-li only wanted her as a guinea pig. She had no true friends at the academy, all she had was her brother.

"You're thinking about them, aren't you?" Cheng-li smiled as the wind pulled on her hair, "You're thinking about the vampires."

Grace didn't answer, for all Cheng-li had to say about them were dark and horrible things, and she wasn't in the mood to put up with her thoughtless comments.

"It surprises me, Grace, it really does," Cheng-li frowned, "That someone like you would fit in with them."

Grace looked at her, "Why?"

"Because, you're rather quiet natured. You do not command respect, and have a very patient personality. I would have thought it took power and pride to survive with a pack of vampires."

Grace winced at the term 'pack'. They weren't a pack, they were a group of civilized people, not bloodthirsty barbarians. Well, not most of the time.

"Only a few are like what you are thinking," Grace thought of Sidorio, and shuddered.

"Like the one with the golden fangs?"

Grace looked back at Cheng-li, "How do you know about him?"

"Connor has told me a couple of things," Cheng-li shrugged, "He gave me a rough idea on the kinds of things he saw."

Grace nodded.

"And of a boy called…Falcon?"

"Lorcan," Grace corrected.

"Yes, that was it. You were rather friendly with him, weren't you?"

"Yes, we're friends," Grace nodded, "Why?"

"Connor doesn't seem to like him," Cheng-li frowned, "But then, I suppose, you can't blame him. Not after what happened with Jez."

"Lorcan's not at all like Jez," Grace shook her head, "But yes, I understand."

"Come on," Cheng-li sighed, "Lets get back. We'll leave the Medicine for a while and begin on Spanish."

"Spanish?" Grace smiled, amused.

"Sí, señorita!" Cheng-li smiled.

"Particular reason why?"

"It is a very common language, if you travel you'll find it very useful."

"OK, then." She laughed.


	6. Bad News

_**All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**_

4

1 YEAR LATER

Grace was now nearly fluent in Spanish, and had learned a lot about Chinese herbal medicines. Connor had been off on numerous raids, and returned safe and laden with treasures each time.

"I think we shall abandon Spanish, Miss Tempest," Cheng-li announced suddenly.

Grace raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yes, we shall," Cheng-li nodded, "There is no more I can teach you. So now, onto battle strategies!"

Grace was slow and reluctant to begin, but Cheng-li soon got her mapping and graphing all sorts of situations.

Soon, they also dropped Chinese medicines, as Grace soon grew weary and uninterested.

She had found herself fingering Lorcan's ring a lot recently. You would have thought she'd got over it by then, but she hadn't. If anything, she longed for her friends more each day.

"Stop daydreaming, Grace," Cheng-li snapped, "You've been doing that a lot recently."

Grace sighed and turned back to her graph.

How could Cheng-li ever understand her feelings?

ANOTHER YEAR LATER

The battle strategies lessons soon ceased, and history and maths and lots of things soon took its place. It was much like being at school.

"Grace," Cheng-li said, "May I ask you something?"

"Sure," Grace nodded.

"I'd…like you to consider sword fighting lessons." Cheng-li said slowly.

"No." Grace said simply, "I don't see why I'd have to learn how to use a sword. I'm not a pirate."

"No, you're not." Cheng-li agreed, "But I'm not talking about for attacking and raiding, I'm talking more about defence."

"And who am I going to have to defend myself against?" Grace snapped, "Are you planning an invasion?"

"No," Cheng-li frowned, "But if there was, how _would _you defend yourself?"

Grace pondered that for a moment, "I don't know. But I think it's rather unnecessary."

"OK," Cheng-li nodded, "Can you _try _it, Grace? For Connor."

"Connor?" Grace asked.

"If you can't protect yourself, then you'll put yourself in danger, which will hurt Connor." Cheng-li said, almost smiling.

Grace scowled, "That's not fair; you're manipulating me."

Cheng-li shrugged.

It took Grace many months before she gave in and agreed to take up lessons, but only on one condition: Connor taught her.

So, the lessons commenced, and Grace wasn't too quick to pick up neither the skills, or the talent. But she kept trying and trying and did gradually improve.

ANOTHER YEAR LATER

Grace was now seventeen, and her next birthday wasn't far.

She had grown double her height and was about half a foot taller than Cheng-li, but Connor was still taller. She also had developed a kind of ashen beauty; pale skin, long auburn hair and piercing green eyes.

"Good morning, Grace," Cheng-li smiled.

"Morning." Grace replied, wobbly.

"Are you OK?"

"Ye -" Grace paused as she heaved, "Uh, no."

"What's wrong?" Cheng-li rushed to her side.

"I feel ill," Grace said simply, "It hurts here," She clawed at her chest.

Cheng-li looked horrified, "Well…maybe you just need some rest."

"What about training?" Grace frowned.

"What about it? You haven't been ill for three years Grace - to be honest, I was getting worried about you." Cheng-li shrugged, "Go back to your room, you need to sleep."

"You don't think it's anything bad do you?" Grace asked, clutching the base of her neck.

"No, I think you'll be fine," Cheng-li said kindly, "And, if push comes to shove then we can always recap on those Chinese medicine lessons."

Grace smiled, but then suddenly turned around on her heels and retched behind a nearby bush.

It took a while for Cheng-li to escort Grace back to her room, as they had to stop numerous times to let her throw up.

"I was…fine this morning," Grace stammered, "I don't know what's wrong."

"You probably have a stomach bug or something, you'll be fine," Cheng-li reassured her.

Cheng-li soon got Grace into bed, and left her to sleep.

"Call me if you need anything, OK?"

"Yeah, thanks." Grace yawned.

However, just as Cheng-li shut the door, agonising pain ripped through her body, and Lorcan's ring burned like a naked flame on her skin. Grace squirmed and squealed, but no one could hear her. Smarting pain sparkled everywhere inside her, from the marrow of her bones to her skin and hair.

Grace screamed brutally, her entire body shuddering as she did so.

She heard rushing footsteps and loud, worried voices, but it all seemed so distant. Someone was calling her name, and she could taste salty tears on her lips that were not her own.

Abruptly, the pain vanished from inside her, and all she could feel was the bruises and aches of where she'd collided with things as she struggled. She suddenly felt rather foolish, for screaming like she did when everything seemed OK now.

She opened her eyes, her breathing heavy and irregular, but all she could see was a blur of moving hands and faces, and the drone of voices in the background. Her senses were blunt and useless and she became numb to everything around her.

Before she had time to ponder on what was happening to her, she swirled into a black abyss.

Grace opened her eyes once more. She felt no pain or ache whatsoever now, and she could see, hear, smell and touch everything.

As her vision began to focus, she surveyed her new surroundings. She was in some kind of room built with cold grey stone. A light bulb without a lampshade swung eerily in midair, but there was no wind.

The room was bare; it obtained no furniture or décor, the ceiling, walls and floor were all made out of the same watery grey stone.

"Grace?"

A voice came from behind her.

Grace swung around and took a step back. When she saw the familiar face her heart skipped a beat.

"Oh my god," She whispered.

"You said you wouldn't forget me," She pouted, "Have you?"

"Darcy!" Grace cried with glee as she rushed into her friend's arms.

"Grace, it is so good to see you!" Darcy wept, "My, you're far taller than me now! You've changed so much! How long has it been?"

"Three years," Grace grinned, "Three long years. How are you? How is everything? Is Lorcan OK?"

Suddenly, Darcy's face turned grave, and her eyes darted about the room.

"Grace, I'm sorry, I forgot that I'm not here to chat with you. In fact, I'm not supposed to even be talking to you."

Grace looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"Grace, I didn't just pass by for a chat; if I wanted a chat I would have come much sooner." Darcy frowned, " Something horrible has happened Grace!"

"What is it?" Grace asked, filling with dread.

"The vampirate ship…Grace…" Darcy broke into sobs, "Sidorio and his rebels have taken control of it."

"What?" Grace gasped, "What do you mean?"

"They hijacked it…as I believe you mortals say now. They have the entire crew in some kind of prison in Tortuga, including me and Lorcan! This is one of the rooms now," She looked around, a disgusted look on her face, "Grace, I wasn't supposed to come to you, the Captain nor Lorcan wanted me to. But the way I see it is that you're our last hope, and if you can't save us…well…we'll be imprisoned for eternity."

Grace's eyes had welled with tears at the thought of that, and the thought of Sidorio and his rebels no longer scared her; it enraged her. She wanted to cast them all down to the bottom of the ocean and for them to stay there, including Johnny.

"I'll help you, Darcy." Grace nodded bravely, "I don't care what it takes, and I'll do anything to save you and Lorcan and the crew."

Darcy wept and smiled at once, "Grace, be careful. If you get hurt I'll never forgive myself."

"I'll look after myself, Darcy. You're the one that needs to look after yourself, and everyone else for that matter; where would the crew be without Miss. Flotsam?"

Darcy laughed wetly, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Grace said, but Darcy was getting quieter now, "Oh, and Darcy, how did I get here? I couldn't touch you before…"

But Darcy couldn't hear Grace anymore, and as the excruciating pain tore through her body once more, she knew those questions would remained unanswered for the time being.

Grace only whimpered as she seethed in pain this time, for she knew what to expect. She tossed and turned in her bed, shaking furiously as she felt hands on her, trying to keep her down.

Grace gasped and her eyes popped open. She looked up at a devastated Connor and Cheng-li.

"G-Grace?" Connor choked through his tears.

"Connor,"Grace breathed, "Cheng-li."

"Grace, are you OK?" Cheng-li asked slowly, just about managing to keep level headed.

"Yes, yes I'm fine," Grace went to push herself up, but a burning sensation sparked in her arm as she tried.

"Ouch," Grace hissed as she held up her left wrist and examined it, "What happened to me?"

"I don't know," Connor replied wetly, "You were having some kind of fit, and you knocked into the wall and hurt your wrist."

The base of her hand was black and green, but she could still move her fingers, which was good. But, she didn't have time to worry about herself; she had friends in grave danger, now all she had to do was convince Cheng-li and Connor.

"I had a dream," She sighed as she pushed herself up with her free hand, "You know, like the ones I had before," She looked at Cheng-li, "And Darcy came to me again."

Cheng-li nodded, but it seemed too much had happened for her to process it all right away.

Nevertheless, Grace continued.

"The vampirate ship has been hijacked by Sidorio and his rebels," Grace frowned, "The entire crew is in some kind of prison in Tortuga."

Connor stared at Grace wide-eyed, "Grace, you're not supposed to go back there."

Grace stared at Connor in disbelief, "Connor! You wouldn't be saying that if it was Bart and Cate!"

Connor looked down at the floor shamefully, "But they're not…you know."

Grace was hurt, "So my friends don't matter?"

"Twins," Cheng-li interrupted, "Stop fighting."

That seemed to amuse Connor slightly, as a smile flickered across his face and he took Grace's OK hand in his.

"Grace, what are trying to say on all this?" Cheng-li's eyes gleamed. She knew the answer, but she wanted Grace to say it.

Grace nodded knowingly, "I want to rescue them."


	7. Plans, Letters and Confusion

_**All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**_

Cheng-li, Connor and Grace cleared a desk on the other side of their room, and layered it with mapping paper and pencils and compasses.

"OK," Grace nodded, "I don't know where on the island they are, but we need to find out _before _we go."

"Well," Cheng-li interrupted, "If Mollucco Wrathe is still on his shipping line, he should be passing there tomorrow. I could contact Cate and Bart; they'd survey the island for us."

Grace looked at Cheng-li, impressed; she was actually considering this.

"OK," Grace smiled, "Thanks."

"Even if they do find it, how the hell are we going to get into a prison and come back out with an entire crew of vampires without getting killed in the process?" Connor shrugged, "Three can't pull that off."

"To _rescue _a crew, we're going to _need _a crew as well," Grace stated simply, "But who can we take?"

"Well, this is a Pirate Academy, Grace," Cheng-li sighed, "I'm sure we can find some well-able bodies here."

"Jacoby and Jasmine," Connor said immediately, "Especially Jacoby. That Greg guy is pretty OK as well…" He mumbled off into a discussion of his own.

"Well, OK, Connor picks the crew," Grace rolled her eyes, "But we need to get into this prison and out without creating much of a…" Grace trailed off; suddenly realising she was having a brainwave.

Cheng-li saw this and smiled; clearly those battle strategy lessons were coming into use.

"A distraction!" Grace smiled, "We make a distraction with our crew outside, and a small group of about…I don't know, but let's say five, goes in and gets the crew."

"I love it," Cheng-li smiled, but Connor was still mumbling away to himself, "What about this team of five?"

"The Vampirates are going to need someone they recognise to trust, and I suppose that would be me," Grace said slowly, "Then, I'd say, Connor, Bart, Cate and that Jacoby guy."

Cheng-li smiled and nodded, "You see, where would you be without those strategy lessons?"

"Lost," Grace admitted.

"Well, you know, it sounds like a foolproof plan." Cheng-li said, "I think we just might go through with this. You get Connor out of his daydream and I'll contact _The Diablo_."

Grace and Connor sat anxiously outside Commodore Kuo's office.

Cheng-li had entered the office over two hours ago and still she had not come out. Grace could not imagine if this was a good or bad thing, and nor could Connor.

"How do you know that this thing is real, Grace?" Connor whispered, shattering the silence, "It was only a dream."

"It wasn't a dream, Connor," Grace whispered back, "It was a vision."

"But what if this vision is lying to you, it could be a trap." Connor replied softly, "And I don't want you risking your life for the sake of a dream. Nor do I want you to risk our friends'."

Grace looked Connor sternly in the eye, "There is no trap. You've got to believe me."

"I do, but -"

Before Connor could protest, Cheng-li opened the door and came storming out, her face red and puffy with frustration.

"Connor, Grace, follow me." Cheng-li snapped angrily.

"Not Connor," The Commodore stepped out from his office, his face was equally red and puffy, "You're not going to brainwash one of my finest students with that fanatical plan of yours."

"Fine, Grace, follow me." Cheng-li took her firmly by the arm and dragged her along with her. Connor tried to follow them, but the Commodore wouldn't let him.

"Cheng-li!" Grace stammered, "Ouch! That hurts…please stop!"

Cheng-li was too angry to realise she'd seized Grace's bruised arm. However, she let go without looking back at her and stormed through the peaceful lush gardens of the Academy like a tyrant. Not one student dared to stop her in her path.

They eventually ended up at the docks for the small boats. From there, Cheng-li pointed out to sea where the actual harbour was.

"You see that, Grace?" She stuttered.

"Y-yes," Grace muttered through gritted teeth as she clutched her now swollen wrist.

Cheng-li was pointing to a ship, a sloop, to be precise, anchored in the harbour.

"That, Grace, is _La Nuvolletta. _That is my ship." She sounded a little calmer as she said it.

**NOTE: that is not the real name of her ship; I'm just naming it for the story. As far as I know her ship is nameless.**

"Oh," Grace nodded, unsure of what she was supposed to say.

"Grace," Cheng-li turned to her, "If you want to save the vampires, you have to go now. With me, right now."

Grace turned wide eyed, "But Connor doesn't know. I can't just leave him -"

"Write a note," Cheng-li frowned, "But hurry, we don't have time. Go back to your room and pack the things you will need."

Grace didn't want to leave without telling Connor face to face, but as she thought of Lorcan and Darcy imprisoned, she realised she had no choice. If she had to go now, she was going to, regardless of the risks.

"OK." Grace said, "I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

And with that, she turned hot on her heels and ran as fast as she could back to her room.

Through the winding paths that led through the magnificent gardens of fig trees and flowers she fled, passing other students so quickly that barely noticed she was there.

She burst into the room. No signs of Connor.

She let out a sigh of despair as she turned over one of the maps that she, Connor and Cheng-li had looked at the previous day. Then she grabbed a pencil and began to write in her spidery scrawl.

Dear Connor,

I'm sorry to leave in such a hurry, but I don't have a choice.

I have to save Lorcan and Darcy, and I hope you understand. I'm not going to risk your life for the sake of my choice. Good luck for whatever you may need it for,

Your loving sister,

Grace

After writing her letter to Connor, Grace used a compass as a paperweight and rushed off to her bedroom to gather a few things.

She didn't need much, just spare clothes, as her two most precious possessions suspended from her neck on a golden chain: Lorcan's ring and Connor's locket.

She stuffed some clothes into her backpack, and one of her favourite books, The Secret Garden, then ran out of the room and headed back for the docks.

When she arrived at the place she had left Cheng-li, she was no where to be found. Grace figured that she too went to collect a few things, but then she noticed a card strung to a boat that she hadn't noticed before. She went over to it and read it.

GRACE, IF I AM NOT HERE WHEN YOU RETURN, TAKE THIS BOAT AND ROW OUT TO _LA NUVOLLETTA_. I WILL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU. DO NOT WAIT FOR ME.

CHENG-LI

After Grace read the print, she instinctively looked around.

No Cheng-li.

Grace slung her bag into the boat, then stepped in, figuring that she had better do as she were told due to the mood Cheng-li was in.

Just as she sat down, Grace realised something: she couldn't row. Her wrist was still swollen from when Cheng-li had yanked on it.

_But I can't wait,_ She thought to herself as she read the card again.

She debated with herself for a moment, and then decided she'd give it a go, and if it was too painful, she'd have to wait.

Grace unmoored the small row boat, and then sat down next to the paddles. They were heavy, dark, teak wooden paddles, matching the boat. Just lifting them made her arm jump back with pain.

She figured she'd have to wait, and floated around in the water of the dock as she did.

Sure enough, Cheng-li came running toward the docks, with a small leather skin jumping about in time with her pace.

Cheng-li's eyes widened in horror as she saw Grace sitting in the boat.

"Grace, paddle!" She cried desperately.

"I can't," Grace replied as Cheng-li jumped from the dock to the boat and landed in the centre of it with precision.

"My wrist's hurt, remember. Why are you in such a hurry?" She inquired as she took over and began paddling furiously.

"There's a gun…" She began, sweat pouring off her face, "There's a gun in my back holster. Take it out. Use it if you have to."

Grace looked at Cheng-li in repulsion, "I am not going to take out your gun, Cheng-li. A sword is one thing but a gun -"

"Do it, Grace!" She yelled as the heavy booming of gunfire exploded the peaceful quiet of the Academy gardens.

Seeing a gleaming metal bullet drive into the water beside them, missing their boat by a metre or so, Grace did as she was told. However, she didn't know how to use a gun, nor did she want to. She gazed back at the docks in complete wonder as the sound of the guns got nearer.

Who would be firing at Cheng-li?

Suddenly, no other than Commodore Kuo and a handful of other teachers burst into view, guns smoking.

Grace's heart missed a beat as the Commodore let out open fire randomly without even looking at his target.

Grace closed her eyes and held her head between her knees, praying that she wouldn't get hit, or Cheng-li.

Time seemed to slow at the moment of gunfire, and Grace feared every sound made, even the faint splosh of the water lapping against the side of the boat.

Suddenly the firing ceased, and for a moment, Grace thought they were reloading, but the sound of a familiar voice relieved her.

"NO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? THAT'S MY SISTER YOU'RE FIRING AT!" Connor screamed at the top of his lungs.

Grace peeked over the side of the boat, squinting through the smoke.

The familiar figure of Connor waved a large white thing at her, and it took her a moment to realise it was the map she'd written on.

"Good luck, Grace!" Connor called.

"Bye, Connor!" Grace waved back, utterly relieved that he'd come to save the day.

Grace looked forward to Cheng-li, who was still rowing like a madwoman.

"Cheng-li, it's OK, they've stopped firing," Grace reassured her.

"Yes, I know," Cheng-li panted, "I just have to get to my ship."

Grace was baffled at the way she was acting, "Uh, why were they firing at you?"

"Forget it, Grace, you're going to have enough to worry about."

But Grace knew she wasn't going to forget it, how could she? She'd never been fired at before, nor held a gun.

Grace and Cheng-li had made their way to her sloop, _La Nuvolletta_.

"Cheng-li, what does _La Nuvolletta _mean?" Grace asked, leaning over the safety rails to get a better picture of the engraving on the side of the ship.

"_La Nuvolletta _means 'Little Cloud'." Cheng-li smiled.

Grace smiled back. The name was sweet and peaceful, which was kind of ironic because of the fact it was a pirate ship.

"Where are we going?" Grace asked another time.

"We are going to catch up with Captain Wrathe and Cate and Bart," Cheng-li sighed, "Hopefully Bart and Cate will have had a look at the island before we get there."

"You mean we're really going through with this?" Grace asked, smiling, "It's OK if you'd rather not, I could find a way myself."

"Yes we're going through with it," Cheng-li looked at Grace, "And I honestly don't believe you could go in and rescue the entire crew yourself."

Grace shrugged, "I'd try."

They went in silence as they dropped off their things below beck, then they made their way around the top deck, untying and retying things that needed to be.

After about half an hour, the moon was up and the stars were out, shimmering on the waves and drenching the decks in a fine, milky glow.

"It's late," Cheng-li stated, "Perhaps we should sleep."

"No," Grace shook her head as she walked up to the railings, "If we are going to rescue the Vampirates then we are going to have to do it at night. We may as well get in the swing of it."

Cheng-li laughed from behind, "I'm going to sleep now, good night, Grace!"

What she found so funny, Grace didn't know, but she didn't care either.

She stood alone by the railings, looking out to the sea, or _a patchwork of time_, as Lorcan had once implied.

Grace's heart felt heavy as she thought of Lorcan; he used to stand next to her on beautiful nights like this, and then wrap her up in his grey army coat with him when she got cold. She missed him, she wanted him to come and talk with her now, so she could return his ring too.

As she thought of the ring, she touched it. It was warming her skin, as it always was, generating heat. She never understood it, but she liked it.

As she touched the ring she realised there was smooth, glassy skin under the ring and locket. It was right over her thorax, as Mosh Zu had said it was.

Grace sighed and placed a whole slideshow in front of her mind's eye, of everything that had happened to her, from her father singing to her and Connor in the lighthouse, and till now. She remembered the day when her and Lorcan and first met, his eyes as blue as the sky and her incomprehensible babbling.

_It wasn't a coincidence that you ended up on a vampirate ship and Connor ended up on a pirate ship._

The words rung in her head and she fingered Lorcan's ring again.

No, she thought, He isn't going to come out of no where. If I want to talk to him again, I have to go and find him.

Then, as her inspiring thoughts faded into the darkness, she felt alone, as she had for three years.


	8. The Diablo

**Disclaimer: All story characters, locations etc. belong to Justin Somper.**

**Thanks to the people who wrote the reviews, they're great, and thanks to my mates that have phoned me up, lol. I'm open to suggestions and criticism too though, anyone think that there's something that needs improving? I wanna know!**

**Oh, I've had a few people saying that the characters are seriously OOC…I think one review and a few friends saying, I dunno, and I have picked up on that! I've been spending so much time on thinking up a plot I've forgotten that these aren't my characters! So sorry about that! I'll try and get them…back on character, I guess, in the next chapters!**

**OH and sorry this chapter took so long to come out. But I had exams blah blah blah **

Grace had read her book throughout the remainder of the night. She was reading it for a second time now. But, as she turned the page she smiled. A sheet of paper was inside that page, a letter. The letter was the one given to Lorcan at Sanctuary, and she had used it to mark where they read together, they hadn't got very far.

Just then, Cheng Li came up from beneath the deck, to find Grace sat beside the railings, where she had left her the previous night, reading.

"I can't believe you stayed up all night, Grace!" Cheng Li exclaimed, "What were you thinking?"

"I did say that -" She began to explain.

"Go down to sleep for a while, I'll wake you when we arrive in Tortuga, OK?"

"We'll arrive today?" Grace stifled a yawn.

"Well, technically we'll arrive in Mollucco's sea lane today," Cheng Li corrected, "But they should be near Tortuga, but you let me worry about that. You get some sleep."

Grace didn't have to be told again, and she slipped beneath the deck without question.

Grace slept lightly and uncomfortably. She woke up just as tired as she had been when she went to sleep. It was still light outside, so Grace got up and went up to deck. Cheng Li was at the wheel. Grace noted the hot and sticky temperatures.

"Awake already Grace?" Cheng Li asked, without turning to look at her.

"Yes," Grace nodded, allowing the sea breeze to refresh her face, "Any luck on Mollucco or Tortuga yet?"

"Well, we're at Tortuga," Cheng Li pointed to the starboard side, "But no Mollucco yet."

Grace nodded and looked over to Tortuga, the famous pirate destination. She had expected to see dark, torch lighted caverns and pubs littering the island with countless wasted men. However, to her surprise, Tortuga looked like a normal place, nothing out of the ordinary, with its normal streets and palm trees.

"Grace!"

Grace turned around to face Cheng Li, who was holding a spyglass in her outstretched palm.

Grace rushed over and took it, looking at her expectantly.

"What's the name of that ship over there?" Cheng Li pointed this time to the port side, "Can you see?"

Grace walked over to the port railings, and then rose the glass to her eyes.

The ship was far, almost on the horizon, and Grace couldn't see the name very well. It was blurred a little, and to faint to make out.

"No, it's too far. I couldn't tell you if it's _The Diablo_." She sighed honestly.

"Alright," Cheng Li tutted, "I'll follow it, when we catch up you can look again." She took the spyglass back, "There's some food downstairs too, if you're hungry.

Now she had mentioned it, Grace did feel an empty space in her tummy wanting to be filled.

"Well, if it's OK."

"Yes, of course." Cheng Li nodded.

"Shall I get you anything?" Grace asked.

"No, thank you."

"OK, I'll be right back," She said as she headed back down the steps below deck. There was another set of steps that went another deck deeper, and Grace took those, knowing only the sleeping quarters were on the first deck below on this ship.

Sure enough, Grace picked her way through corridors and doors, and eventually found the galley.

Fresh fruit and bread were laid out on a rickety wooden table. She took a mango, for no particular reason, and then began to search drawers for a knife.

The galley was quite a dark place, lighted only by the portholes and a couple of candles in glass jugs in gloomy corners.

Grace found a clean looking knife, then made her way back up to deck, wanting to eat out in the sunlight.

When she returned back, she sat back beside the railings and dangled her feet over the edge of the deck, then began to eat.

She looked over Tortuga thoroughly, scanning every possible sign of a prison of some sort, or a harbour which could somehow hide _The Nocturne_.

The entire island seemed deserted; not a thing stirred around the palm treed area, and no one was to be seen on the beach. Even though Grace had never been to Tortuga before, it seemed strange that no one was about to her.

"Admiring the view are we?" Cheng Li called over from the wheel.

Grace shook her head, "Well, it is a nice view, but I'm looking for any signs that could give away the Vampirates' location." She said, matter-of-factly.

"Oh, don't let me interrupt, Miss. Tempest," She laughed, "Just call me if you spot anything odd."

"I have already," Grace replied, "I don't know whether it's escaped your attention or not, but I can't see a solitary sign of life out there."

"Yes," Cheng Li agreed, "That is quite odd, but we shouldn't worry about it until we get a closer look at the island, OK?"

"Oh, OK," Grace nodded.

About five minutes passed as they reached the end of Tortuga, and it was then Grace noticed a small wooden figurehead protruding from behind the island. Grace kept her eyes on it, entranced. She watched it grow out the side of the cliff face, the way a typical haunted house would seem to tower over you from the top of a hill on hallows eve.

Grace bit her lip as she watched the entire forward area of the ship slide into view.

_T…h…e…_

Letters slowly appeared.

_D…i…a…b…_

Grace didn't have to see the rest of the name.

"Cheng Li!" Grace cried, jumping to her feet, "The Diablo! I've found it!"

Grace grinned and pointed, looking over at the emerging ship.

Cheng Li smiled, "Well done Grace, you spotted that before me!"

With that, Cheng Li turned the ship and headed for _The Diablo_.

"Did you get my message?" Asked Cheng Li.

"Yes, we sent a reply to your office but you never answered." Cate frowned, "What's going on at the Academy?"

Grace and Cheng Li looked at each other unsurely.

"Now wouldn't be the best time to talk about it," Cheng Li frowned, "We need to work on finding Grace's friends."

Grace and Cheng Li had pulled up alongside _The Diablo_, and had gained trust and boarding permission with much difficulty; Captain Mollucco Wrathe had been on deck when they pulled up.

The first thing they knew they had guns to their heads, the next thing was being fired questions, then watched his crew go through their ship, then they had finally been released.

Mulocco had turned into some kind of monster; he wasn't the cheery Captain that Grace had known, she wondered if it had anything to do with Connor's departure. Even Scrimshaw didn't seem to happy seeing them.

"Any signs of…" Grace glanced back at the deserted Tortuga, "…anything?"

"No," Cate shook her head sadly, "We've seen a few people wandering about now and then, and we've asked a couple of locals if they've seen anything strange."

"They said nothing out of the ordinary," Bart added, "But, if they're in a prison, like you said, it'll probably be on the South part of the island; there's supposed to be some medieval jail down there, partially underground."

Cheng Li nodded, "OK, thank you both."

"We'll have to get some people down to this place, though," Bart frowned, "To check that there are vampires in there before we go marching in. There are some people that don't take too kindly to pirate invasions."

"And, just to be safe, we should send people down there in the day." Grace added, "Vampires can come out in darkness, not in light. Other than the Captain of the _The Nocturne_."

"At midday, when the sun is highest in the sky," Cheng Li agreed, "As Grace said, just to be safe."

"Sounds like a plan," Cate smiled, "Perhaps we should -"

"One minute," Grace interrupted, pausing a second, "What does Captain Wrathe think of this?"

Bart and Cate fell silent.

"Well, he does _know_, right?" Cheng Li raised an eyebrow.

Cate looked around the deck as Bart shook his head.

Cheng Li threw a hand to her head, "Couldn't you have told him before we got here? We're going to get thrown overboard!"

"Well, you didn't exactly tell us you were coming so soon," Cate frowned.

"You didn't say you were coming at all!" Bart corrected, "We're not mind readers!"

"OK, lets calm down," Grace sighed, "It isn't the end of the world. Someone just has to go and tell him…any volunteers?"

Everyone fell silent, looking around at each other.

"Uh, Cate?" Bart asked, scratching his head awkwardly.

"No way!" Cate hissed, trying to keep her voice down, "You can't just expect me to go walking in and telling him that we're planning an invasion on a prison to rescue vampires that ate his brother's crew!""Wait, that's wrong…" Grace had a brainwave, "I'll do it. Where is he?"

Everyone looked at Grace, baffled.

"Are you kidding?" Cate snapped, "I don't think he should even know! I mean, think about it -"

"Downstairs, first cabin in front of you." Bart cut Cate short, and as a result he got a slap around the back of the head.

"Thanks, Bart." Grace said bravely as she turned toward the stairs.

Her light footsteps echoed delicately as silence overcame the ship. Cheng Li, Cate and Bart turned silent as they watched Grace go.

There first door in front of here was practically on top of the steps to the deck, and Grace had to step to the side in order to open the door properly.

She knocked loudly and confidently. She was slightly afraid of what the Captain's reaction would be, but not enough to show it. Of course, the Captain wouldn't physically _hurt _her, would he?

"Who is it?" Came a low and irritable voice.

"Captain, I'd like to speak with you," Grace replied loudly, "Please may I come in?"

There was silence.

Grace was about to open the door for herself when the screeching sound of wood scraping wood came from behind the door, as the Captain pushed himself backward in his chair. Then his heavy footfall began its way towards the door, like some creepy horror film.

Mulocco shoved the door open, without stopping to think who was behind it.

Grace saw his angry lined face and impatient twinkle in his eyes and gulped a little, but she held his gaze, reluctantly.

"What do you want, Tempest?" He said, spitting out her last name like a sour lemon.

"I'd like to speak with you, Captain," Grace said bravely, "If that isn't too much trouble."

"Well, it is," He snapped. "Now leave me be!"

Mulocco went to slam the door, and as he did Grace couldn't help but think of Lorcan and Darcy, behind cold bars with the rest of the crew and the Captain.

"Sir!" Grace protested, slapping her palm to the door, disallowing the dark thoughts to continue. "Please, sir. Just give me ten minutes, then you'll be alone again."

The Captain looked down at her, with almost a disgusted look upon his face.

"Ten minutes and counting." He snapped, turning away from Grace and heading back to his desk.

"Thank you." Grace breathed, surprised at her own aggression.

_It was worth it,_ Grace told herself as she followed the Captain in.

The Captain took a seat, laced his fingers together and looked at Grace expectantly.

"Well?"

Grace hesitated, her mind blank for a moment.

"Nine minutes."

That shook Grace into action.

"Sir, do you remember the Vampirate ship that picked me up all that time ago?" Grace said quickly, "The people on _The Nocturne_?"

"Unfortunately," The Captain frowned, "They await me in my dreams each night, accompanied by the face of my dead brother."

His words sounded meaningless and blunt, as if he was numb to each word that tumbled from his lips.

"Well, Sir," Grace continued, feeling her hopes rise by the minute, "Those vampires were the rebels. The ones where their blood thirst is unquenchable. They -"

"What is the point of all this, Grace?" He asked impatiently, not willing to speak about his brother any more.

"Well, those vampires have _my friends _held hostage. I don't know what for or why, but I _do _know that the people that are holding them hostage are that same group of rebels." Grace said slowly.

"So?"

"So, I want to rescue them, Captain. That is the reason for me being here." Grace frowned, "But I cannot do it alone."

"This is absurd!" The Captain slammed his fists into the desk with a jolt, and rose from his seat like a lightning bolt striking the sea in a storm.

"First you intrude my ship, and now you seek valuable men to do your bidding!" His eyes were filled with wrath, and his face creased into disgust. He truly didn't look happy.

Grace just looked up at him, her face brimming with shock. This was most certainly not the Molucco Grace had come to know.

"What on Earth has happened to you, Captain," She breathed, no longer fearful or scared, but concerned.

"What has happened?" He shrieked, "I shall tell you what has happened, Miss Tempest!"

He stamped his way around the desk like a spoilt child and looked at Grace in the face.

"The moment you and your meddlesome brother took foot on board my ship there has been chaos! If it hadn't been for you Porfirio wouldn't be dead! The Vampirates wouldn't have even known about him!" He hesitated, "As for your brother, he was a helping hand amongst my crew, until he broke the contract and left my ship for Cheng Li, as if he were too good for me!"

Captain Wrathe was now shuddering with anger, or possibly hate, by now, and Grace looked angrily back at him.

"He left because he wanted a fresh start, Captain!" Grace cried, "He didn't mean to hurt you, or anyone in fact. He left to help himself."

"He left because he was a coward," Molucco snarled, "What good is a pirate that cannot cope with guilt?"

"He can but -" Grace stopped herself, realising she was losing precious time by arguing.

She took a deep breath and tried to forget her annoyance.

"Captain," She said slowly, "With all due respect, I would like to talk about my friends now."

"Well, your time is up." the Captain muttered, "Get out of my sight."

Grace glared at him, "But I didn't finish -"

"I said ten minutes, and that ten minutes has gone. Don't mess with me. Get out." Molucco snapped, without even looking at Grace.

Grace looked at him disbelievingly. How could he say that?

"Your anger has gone to your head, Molucco!" Grace snapped at him, "You're so blinded by your -"

"Get out of my sight, Grace." Mulocco said furiously.

"Why won't you do it? At least tell me -" Grace began desperately.

"I'm not going to rescue the people that killed my brother."

"But they're not the people who killed -"

"Why should I help you anyway?" He was stood up and shouting now, "Did you not hear me when I said all you create it chaos?"

"Yes, I did," Grace nodded, "But you don't have to think of it as helping me, if you feel so strongly, think of it…" Grace's eyes glinted as she thought of one last thing that could just win him over.

"Think of it as avenging your brother."


	9. Revenge

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**I don't know if there is a castle/prison on Tortuga. I've been there and I don't remember one but hey. **

* * *

Molucco's eyes glistened with inspiration.

"_Avenge my brother…_" He whispered dauntingly, "_Avenge…_" He took delight in that word.

Grace just watched him as he mumbled to himself, she was smiling discreetly; she had won the battle.

"Now, Miss. Tempest, that is not such a bad idea," He smiled. _Smiled_. Grace hadn't seen him smile once since her arrival. Had the colourful Molucco truly come back just like that?

"I don't suppose you have any plans or strategies yet?"

"Uh, no, sir." Grace shook her head, "But Cate seemed more than happy to -"

"I shall go and consult Cate," He interrupted, oblivious to the fact that Grace was in mid-sentence.

Grace shrugged as he brushed past her; at least she had got what she wanted without too much argument.

She followed him out of the cabin, taking deep breaths of relief.

Bart and Cheng Li were outside the cabin when the door swung open and the Captain strutted out.

Bart put a hand out to halt Grace before she left.

"You OK?" He whispered, examining her with cautious eyes, "There was some shouting in there. You OK?"

Grace couldn't detain a smile as she nodded, "Yes, I'm perfectly fine, thank you."

Bart raised an eyebrow, clearly confused that she wasn't frustrated or annoyed or even hurt by the Captain.

Suddenly, swift quick footfall drowned out Bart's confused silence and Cheng Li appeared at the bottom of the steps with a concerned look upon her face.

"Was Molucco…smiling?" She said slowly, sticking her thumb over her shoulder.

"Yes," Grace laughed, "Yes, I believe he was."

"Molucco…smiling?" Bart coughed, "I'll believe it when I see it. He hasn't been happy since the day Connor left!"

"Well, it is very rare he smiles around me," Cheng Li crossed her arms across her chest.

Bart just laughed.

"Well, I think this means he's agreeing to help us get back my friends," Grace shrugged, "That's all I wanted."

"How did you do it?" Bart asked in wonder, "I heard 'Tempest' and 'chaos' used in the same sentence - not the best two words to be matched up with the objective in mind."

"Well, what a pirate would give into is all too obvious," Grace shrugged.

"Yes," Cheng Li agreed, "Women,"

"Money," Added Grace.

"Ships,"

"Booty,"

"Rum,"

"But more importantly," Grace drew the volleying between her and Cheng Li to a conclusion, "Any pirate would give to revenge."

Cheng Li smiled and nodded at Grace, impressed.

"Smart thinking, Tempest. I'm surprised I didn't think of that myself." Cheng Li complemented.

Grace smiled knowingly.

"No way," Bart grumbled, folding his arms grumpily, "How is it that guys have such a hard time getting you girls and you girls have such an easy time getting us guys?"

"Perhaps a reasonable dose of common sense?" Cheng Li smirked, throwing an arm over Grace's shoulders, "Us girls are 5 smarter than you lads, you know."

"Yeah, you wish," Bart smirked back.

Before anymore sexist discussion could continue, Cate appeared below deck.

"Hey guys," She smiled, "Grace, you worked wonders, girl, but now we need you all up on deck to figure out how to smash these vampire rebels back into shape."

Grace smiled. _This is actually happening, _She grinned, _I can actually save the Vampirates! _

Cheng Li, Grace and Bart followed Cate up the steps in single file, to find Molucco surrounded by a load of his crew in the middle of the deck.

"What about you, Turner, any ideas?" He shouted across the throng of noisy, squabbling pirates to one who had his hand raised in the air.

"I say we give 'em a surprise in the dead of night, a pincer like movement, you see Capt'n." A middle aged man with a Manchester accent grumbled.

"You can't do it at night unless you want you're innards sucked out of a straw!" Another cried, "Broad daylight, we'd have to raid!"

"How are we supposed to slip in unnoticed in broad daylight?"

"How can we trick a vampire?"

"Why are we going to _raid _vampires to _get _vampires?"

"Will we all die!"

The volume commenced into screaming and hollering, one daft suggestion after the next, Molucco going just as insane as the rest.

The four of them, Bart, Cheng Li, Cate and Grace just stood there goggle-eyed at the chaos.

_Surely that wasn't _my _fault, _Grace thought foolishly to herself.

Suddenly, however, Bart sprung into action.

"Guys!" He yelled, "Lets calm down a little, shall we? Oi oi! You…over there! Don't do that"Then Bart got involved with the entire 'debate', and then Cate felt the need to go and get involved too. Grace and Cheng Li were left standing side by side, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"Is this how pirates always discuss issues?" Grace yelled over the noise at Cheng Li.

Cheng Li shrugged, "This is the way I remember it on here. Looks like they haven't changed."

"What do we do?" Grace asked.

Cheng Li nodded consciously before jumping up on top of an empty wooden crate.

She placed two fingers in her mouth and blew the loudest whistle Grace had ever heard.

The entire ship fell silent. Grace smiled again.

Cheng Li jumped down, exasperated, "Listen up, lads and lasses," She said strictly, "If we are going to get anything done, this is not the way to do it. We need suggestions and quick. OK?"

"Yes, Ma'ame." Everyone said in unison, save for Grace and Molucco.

"Right. Anyone found or have any ideas on where the location of this prison might be?" Cheng Li continued.

"Excuse me, Cheng Li," Molucco's smiled had faded, "I am the Captain of this ship, not you."

"But with all due respect, you're theories are not working. Mine are." Cheng Li said simply.

Grace bit her lip as she said that, though she knew Cheng Li was right, but she didn't want to anger the Captain. They were after his crew. But the Captain didn't retaliate.

"Anyone?" Cheng Li asked."I…I think that the jail could be on the Southern side of the island, Ma'ame." A man at the front answered, "But I'm not certain."

Cheng Li nodded, "Very good. Bart, Cate, can you confirm that?" She turned around to the now silent Bart and Cate.

"Well we can't exactly _confirm _that," Bart began unsurely, before Cate took over.

"We can't confirm that," Cate shrugged, "But the far Southern part of the island is the most deserted. I haven't seen anyone there, other than animals."

"OK," Cheng Li nodded, "All in good time. But before we figure out anything, we need to get the location and hopefully layout of this prison."

"And how are we going to be doing that?" Molucco asked, "How do we just come up with this information?"Cheng Li fell silent a minute, her eyes not leaving Molucco. She was deep in thought.

"Captain!" A voice yelled from the crows nest all of a sudden, "Captain! There's a boat coming towards us - in our sea lane!"

Molucco immediately strode over towards the aft of the ship, tall, broad and in control.

Grace looked at Cheng Li and she looked back at Grace.

"Control this bunch," Cheng Li hissed over to Bart and Cate, "Grace and I will see what's wrong."

Cate nodded, but Bart frowned and crossed his arms again; he was hoping to get a piece of the excitement.

Cheng Li and Grace turned and ran after Molucco, and at that point he was now at the aft of the ship with a spyglass to his eye.

Grace and Cheng Li reached his side in no time and soon saw what he was looking at.

There was a middle sized fishing type of boat bobbing around in the waves. It looked blue in colour, but it was too far away for Grace to see anything more.

"You don't half have a cheek, Cheng Li," Molucco shook his head, that angry expression slowly creeping back onto his face.

"Sorry, Captain?" Cheng Li asked honestly.

He passed her the spyglass, and she held it to her own eye.

Grace watched her expression eagerly as she did so, and a great frown came to her face.

"What? What is it?" Grace asked, "Who's on that boat?"

Cheng Li passed Grace the spyglass.

Grace held it in her palm, looking at it for a moment. She lifted the glass to her eye and looked out of it.

Yes, there was a fishing boat - holding two passengers.

Seeing the first passenger, her heart flickered with joy, but seeing the second didn't comfort her at all.

It was Connor and Commodore Kuo. The Commodore didn't look happy. At all.

"I've got to get off this ship," Cheng Li muttered.

Grace looked at her, confused, "Why?"Cheng Li ignored her, "Captain, please, allow me to take a longboat, to see what's on the island. I'll be back before the end of the day."

"Don't give me excuses; this might do me a favour," Molucco snarled.

"Molucco, please," Cheng Li frowned, "For old times' sake."

Molucco nodded, "Hurry up."

With that Cheng Li ran off again in another direction.

"What?" Grace mumbled, "Captain, what's going on?"

"Hasn't Cheng Li told you about her little mix up?" Molucco laughed, "After three years, Grace, I thought she'd know you enough to tell you by now."

"What?"

But Molucco kept laughing.

Cheng Li hadn't left Grace's side for three years - not a day had passed that she hadn't seen her. And she wasn't going to let her go just like that without explanation.

"Cheng Li!" Grace cried as she ran after her, "Cheng Li!"

But all that came to her reply was the soft slapping of wood against water, and Grace knew she had gone. She ran to the side of the boat and watched Cheng Li paddle with all her strength away from _The Diablo_, and towards Tortuga.

Grace watched in hurt and confusion. What exactly had happened between Cheng Li and Commodore Kuo?


	10. Meeting

**_Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper._**

**_There isn't a castle in Tortuga with underground passages in Tortuga. And if there is it is one of those freaky coincidences and I didn't know about it. _**

* * *

"Connor!" Grace cried, as her brother ran into her arms.

"Grace, are you OK?" He asked.

"Yes," She nodded, "But what are you doing here?""I came to give you a hand," Connor smiled.

He delved into his back pocket and withdrew a fistful of maps and graphs.

"I was going to give you these before you left."

Grace took them and unfolded them. Most of them were something about a castle.

"Why would you give me these?" Grace asked slowly.

"Well, the fact of the matter is there isn't a prison on Tortuga," Connor shrugged, "And there isn't anywhere where you could hold a whole crew of pirates hostage, other than this castle's prison. And it has loads of floors beneath ground level so it would be perfect to hold...well, you know."

Grace looked at her brother in amazement, "You figured all this out?"

"No," Connor shook his head, "The Commodore did."

Grace nodded, still feeling uneasy about the Commodore.

"Thanks a lot, Connor." She smiled, though her eyes shifted to Kuo uneasily as he shook hands with Molucco.

Connor followed her gaze, "You don't like the Commodore, do you?"

"No, it's not that I don't like him," Grace frowned, "But every time him and Cheng Li are together there is madness. You saw him shooting at us. Cheng Li even left the ship in a longboat when she saw you both coming."

"Yes, I've noticed that too," Connor agreed, "I don't know why, though. They used to be friends…well, not friends. But they got on with each other pretty well."

"Hey buddy!" A familiar call came from the other end of the deck.

Connor didn't have to look around to see if he meant him.

"Bart," Connor laughed as Bart came bounding toward him.

Grace smiled and walked away from her brother, knowing they'd both want to talk, and Cate would too, no doubt.

She dawdled to the safety railings and leant over the side, looking at the waves lap against the ship. She looked about for Cheng Li too, but saw nothing. It was as if she'd dematerialised; surely she couldn't have reached land that fast.

Grace sighed and looked over at the island for a castle of some description. She was sure that if there was a castle on the island she would have noticed it, as a castle would be quite hard to miss.

However, yet again her hopes were crushed. She saw no castle, no Cheng Li, no Vampirates. She was deflated.

She just wanted to see Lorcan again, and Darcy too. She missed them both like crazy. She had missed them everyday, but now her pain had worsened; she was looking at the island where they were, and who knows what they were being put through right then? She was so close, yet so far away.

She shook her head with exasperation and peered down at the papers Connor had given her, searching for any last morsel of hope. What was she supposed to do with Cheng Li gone and relying on a bunch of pirates to see her mission through? It didn't sound very foolproof.

"Grace!" Cate cried from behind her.

Grace turned around, feeling rather pessimistic.

"Mulocco has called a meeting in his cabin." Cate smiled, "You, Connor, Bart, Commodore Kuo and I." She rested a hand on her shoulder, "I don't know what you did in there, Grace, but he's changed completely. Thank you so much. We have the old Molucco Wrathe back!"

Grace grinned, "I think I'm just as happy as you."

Grace followed Cate below deck back to Molucco's cabin to find the rest of them already there.

"Ah, the other Tempest," Molucco smiled, "Now, before we set off I feel I must say something to you both," He looked at Grace and Connor.

"What is it?" Connor said, sounding eager.

"I have been rather selfish and rash lately. It has been very childish of me." Molucco said quietly, "I am sorry."

Connor and Grace sent each other a sideward glance, smiling a little.

"It's OK, Captain," Connor grinned, "I understand."

"That's my boy!" Molucco smiled, ruffling his hair, "However, to more important matters!"

Grace didn't say anything, as she knew the apology was probably more directed at Connor than her, though he had been quite cold to her.

"We must attack in daytime," Molucco said, "I think we can all agree on that."

"Wait," Grace frowned, "If we attack in daytime, how are we supposed to get my friends out?""Will they not risk going into daylight for their lives?" Kuo frowned, "There is not much choice."

"No," Grace said simply, "I will not allow them to be put through that. I've seen what the light can do to them…" She trailed off, remembering the shock she got when she first saw Lorcan after he had been exposed to light.

"Cloaks," Bart suggested, "Hoods, jackets, umbrellas…anything we have. Will that not hold for a few minutes?"

"We can't lug all that to land, Bart," Cate frowned, "It will use up energy and time, and we risk getting spotted too. And what if it isn't enough?"

"Doesn't their ship make some kind of mist?" Bart tried again, "Can we not steer their boat close to land so they can run out before -"

"Bart, please think about what you're saying before you say it," Cate tutted.

"Alright, alright it was only a suggestion." Bart huffed, laying back in his chair.

"Are you aware of any means that can protect vampires from light, Grace?" Molucco asked.

Grace hesitated, thinking hard, "No. Not that I can recall."

"How about through the forest?" Cate asked, "In the shade of the trees?"

Grace nodded, "Yes, but is the canopy thick enough to filter most of the light?"

"It is a mere wood, not a rainforest," Kuo frowned, "It is not thick enough."

There was a moment of silence, but then Grace felt fingers slipping into her jean pocket.

She jumped slightly but realised it was only Connor, and relaxed once she saw what he was doing.

Connor had taken the maps and papers he had given her earlier. Why he hadn't asked for them, Grace didn't know, but he had taken them.

"What is it?" Grace asked in a hushed tone.

"If I remember rightly…" Connor mumbled, leafing through them, "Aha!"

All eyes were on Connor as he held a single sheet of paper up in the air.

"Of course," The Commodore mumbled.

The atmosphere grew impatient as everyone waited for Connor to explain.

"Here it says that beneath the castle," Connor began, "there are underground tunnels the people used for war when they were being bombed. They lead to canons located around the entire island, including the beach and the harbour!"

Grace felt her heart leap with hope and a grin broke onto her face, "That's perfect!"

Commodore Kuo nodded with a smile, "Well remembered, Master Tempest."

"Right, I'll get a team of us to check these tunnels out while it's still light." Cate nodded, patting Connor's shoulder at the same time, "Meanwhile, I'll get another team to check out the castle."

"Wait a moment, wait a moment," Molucco interrupted, "Where are we going to put all these vampires? I won't feel comfortable with them on my ship, and it's not as though I have the room."

"Could we not have them here until we can travel away from the island and find a ship for them?" Commodore Kuo asked.

"No," Grace frowned, "The Captain's right. They cannot be here. They need their ship. They need _The Nocturne_."

"I agree," Cate nodded, "A ship can't just disappear from the ocean. I'll get a team to find it."

"This is a lot of teams," Molucco said, "What do you mean by teams, Cate?"

Cate thought a moment, "I will take four teams of five." She decided, "Two for the castle. One for the tunnels. One for the ship."

"No, that will take too long." Molucco frowned. "Take the entire crew. I will stay here with Grace and await Cheng Li. Be back before sunset."

Everyone rose from the desk.

"If all goes to plan," Molucco said to Grace, "We shall have your friends out by tomorrow night, and my thirst for revenge will be sated."


	11. Time to go

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**I could have made another chapter about them finding the information, but it's dragging on a little now, and I think we all want to see Lorcan again! **

The plan was done, and Grace's heart was racing with aspiration and a hint of excitement, but she also felt fear lingering in the depths of her stomach.

It had taken a few days to assemble the plan together, and they'd found all the information they needed. Tonight the action would begin.

Grace sat by the railings of _The Diablo_, her knees were pulled up into her chest, and she watched the sun sink below the horizon with clouds of purple, red and pink. It was a gorgeous sunset, and it calmed Grace from her feelings a little.

"Hey," Connor came and sat down beside her, smiling, "Excited?"

Grace smiled, "A little."

"Not long now," Connor grinned, "Then everyone will be safe and sound."

Grace looked at her brother, "You could be safe and sound."

Connor threw her a look of confusion.

Grace shook her head, "You won't be safe once we go in, Connor. It's a basement of vampires! Why would you and everyone else want to help me?"

The question had been bugging her for a while, but she felt it would be too bold to ask, but she knew she could ask Connor anything.

Connor smiled, "You know what, Gracie," He sighed, "I don't have a clue."

Grace laughed a little, "That wasn't the answer I was looking for,"

"I know." Connor nodded, "But, who knows? I don't know why a crew of pirates would want to go after a crew of vampires."

Grace looked back at the sunset, "Well, whatever it is, thank heaven for it."

Connor nodded in agreement.

"Sorry," A voice came from behind them both, "I couldn't help overhearing that."

Grace spun around, a shocked look on her face; she knew that voice.

Cheng Li smiled back at her.

She looked tired and worn out. Her clothes were torn and ragged, and her sleeves looked damp and stained. Cheng Li looked like she'd been through hell and back.

"Cheng Li!" Grace cried, lunging forward and throwing her arms around her.

Grace very rarely hugged Cheng Li, but every time she did she didn't seem to mind. They meant too much to each other for them to mind.

"Where did you go?" Grace frowned, "You've been gone for days! I've been so worried!"

"I know," Cheng Li nodded understandingly, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you everything first. There was a lot to deal with."

"Like what?" Grace asked, "When you left we weren't dealing with anything! Was it the Commodore again?"

Cheng Li smiled knowingly and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Yes, well, I'll explain everything some time soon, I promise. But right now, we have other things to be doing."

It irritated Grace a little about how she'd come back to secrets. Everything had been a secret from her three years ago, when she had been with the vampirates. She hadn't been allowed to know some things, for strange reasons. But, she had also got used to it.

"I'm going to go down to speak to Molucco," Cheng Li said, "I'll be right back up here, OK?"

Grace nodded, just pleased she had come back.

"I'd like to know what got between them too," Frowned Connor.

Grace failed to stifle a yawn as she sat back down.

"Tired, Grace?" Connor grinned.

She shrugged, tucking back up into a ball, "I didn't sleep last night."

Connor frowned, "Grace, you do realise we're raiding this basement tonight, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you sleep?" Connor asked, "It's no good to be tired on this kind of thing."

"I _couldn't _sleep. Something was keeping me awake." Grace shrugged, "It doesn't matter, Connor. I'll be fine."

"I hope so," Connor nodded, "For all our sakes."

"Connor! Grace!" Bart called, "Cate's called a meeting for all people who are going to take part in the…kidnap, I guess." 

"OK,"

Both twins rose to their feet and followed Bart. 

They walked at pace, and in silence. The meeting was at the aft of the ship, as most things were.

"Gather round, gather round!" Cate yelled at the pirate throng, "You all hear me?"

"Yeah," The majority replied.

Bart, Connor and Grace all joined the crowd at the back. They couldn't see Cate from behind, but they could most certainly hear her.

"Right, I know you all know the plan," Cate said loudly, "But the Captain has suggested a few alterations. So listen up!"

Cate paced the deck in front of them. She might have been smaller than the other men, but her attitude, pride and skill said otherwise.

Now only a faint hum of the crew's whispers could be heard.

"Raise your hand if you are in the Ship Team." Cate commanded.

About fifteen men rose their hands.

"Good. You will go by your original plan." Cate nodded, "And you will be the only team to do so."

There was a small rise in the volume of mumbling, but it soon dropped as Cate began again.

The ship team was the team that had discovered _The Nocturne_ and was going to go and get her so the vampirates could return to their own ship after their rescue. 

Grace didn't know much about that mission at all, she only really knew her own. She had a rough idea on where they were going, but that was all.

"Distraction team, raise your hands." Cate demanded.

They did so.

The distraction team were called the distraction tem for a reason: they distracted the vampires.

"You will no longer just barge into battle. You will hide in the shrubs and trees and await a signal, which will be a very loud flare gun. We need to get their entire attention." Cate said, "Understood?"

"Yes, Ma'ame!" They replied in unison.

"Rescue team, or what's left of you." Cate addressed. "It has come to out ears that the map we possessed is completely incorrect, as one observation person noticed that it said Madagascar on the top. And that's no good. So it isn't going to be as simple as strolling in and out again."

The rescue team groaned as one.

"But!" Cate yelled, "We are going to split you up into teams of four, and you're going to have to find the vampirates for yourselves. Which means, actually," She paused for a brief moment, "Which means I am going to take ten men from the ship team, and add them to the distraction team. We will need as many men as we can get in there. Any volunteers?"

Many men volunteered, so Cate just picked and chose. 

As soon as ten men had been transferred into the distraction team, she turned back to the crowd.

"I will come round and tell you who will be in your team, rescue team. If you aren't part of the rescue team, then get your backsides out of the way!" She yelled.

"Teams of four?" Connor asked, "Grace is with me."

"I'm with ya too, buddy." Bart crossed his arms defiantly. 

"Who else?" Asked Grace, "Us makes three."

"Cate?" Bart asked hopefully.

"Maybe," Connor nodded, watching Cate weave through the struggling pirates.

"It's getting dark," Grace pointed out, "We should hurry up."

"Alright, don't get your knickers in a twist," Bart frowned, "We still have a couple of hours."

Grace waited patiently for Cate to get around to them. She couldn't wait to save them; who knew what they were being put through in that cellar?

"Right," Said Cate, as she finally got round to them.

"I guess you three would make a nice match," Cate nodded, "You OK with that?"

Bart, Connor and Grace nodded. 

"But who will be number four?" Asked Bart, "What about you?"

Cate shook her head, "No. I'm staying behind to help with the distraction. You're going to have Rodger here."

A very tall, broad man stepped out into view. He had a chubby, sweaty face and brown hair threaded with silver. 

"Hullo," He mumbled in a deep voice.

"Uh, hi," Bart said slowly, trying to take him in.

"He's new on board," Cate explained, seeing Bart's strange look, "You see they treat him nicely, OK, Grace?"

Grace smiled and nodded, "Yes. Hello Rodger."

"Hullo." He repeated.

"Great, his skull's thicker than a brick wall." Bart mumbled to Connor, who gave him a hard jab in the ribs.

"Ow!" Bart mumbled, clutching his side like a baby.

Grace sighed hopelessly, dreading the time when she'd have to break into the prison with this lot. But then again, she realised, she'd dread it more without them.

The next hour ticked by slowly, with Rodger burping loudly, and Connor, Cate and Bart with disgusted expressions attempted to go over the plans with him (he really seemed to be quite the dunce).

Grace occasionally butted in, making suggestions here and there, but otherwise she lost herself admiring the setting sun. 

Darkness drenched the earth and the moon and stars were out, bright and shimmering in their reflections upon the lapping waves of the ocean.

She looked at the small glowing lights in the sky and could see Lorcan, as clear as crystal, in her minds eye. Smiling at her. He looked so real, so right, she felt that she could reach out as touch him. But the moment soon subsided as she felt a red hot heat burning against her chest. 

She hadn't felt it for a while, though she knew exactly what it was. It was the claddagh ring.

All was silent and still, like death had claimed the world as well as the night. However, movement soon stirred when Grace turned around to Cate and murmured: "It's time to go." 


	12. The game is on

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**Most of you are probably thinking that I just threw Rodger in for the sake of having someone to kill. But I'm going to say in advance that this is not the case because I don't want you thinking that.**

**Don't we all hate cliffhangers? Oh well.. lol**

* * *

_Chug chug chuuuuuuuuuuuuuug._

The longboat ran aground.

In Grace's longboat were Connor, Bart, Rodger and herself.

"We just have to wait for Cate's signal, now." Bart mumbled, mostly for Rodger's benefit.

"What we doing again?" Rodger mumbled, scratching his head.

"You have to be joking," Connor gasped, "No one's that thick."

"Shush!" Bart snapped.

Everything was silent for a moment, and all that could be heard was the waves lapping up against the boat from behind, but then Rodger's murmuring commenced once more. Though no one paid attention.

Grace's heart raced with anxiety as she awaited the signal, with Rodger mumbling from behind her.

There was something odd about Rodger. Yes, Grace knew he was a little slower and not as on-the-ball as the other pirates, but she felt something…different about him, though she couldn't quite finger it.

Then, a couple of white flashes came from about five hundred meters away and everyone on the longboat took a sharp intake of breath.

The game was on.

Grace's heart could have ripped out of her chest as she silently leapt from the boat to the shore. It was hammering so strongly she was almost certain that everyone else could hear it.

As the last person, Rodger, left the boat, another pirate came creeping behind them to secure it with perfect timing.

Grace glanced right and left, and saw a few other pirates running up the beach in the pale moonlight. Everyone was trying to keep to the shadows as much as possible, but the trees were a little further up the beach, so not many people could stay within them.

The hard leather cases strapped to Grace's back clunked dully together as she ran, and she grimaced as she heard it. Cheng Li had loaned Grace her twin swords that lived on her back holster, since she had been the one to stay with the ship, which Grace had found rather odd, but had decided not to question her. She could not stand any more unanswered questions.

However, Grace had no intentions of using the swords, but it would be absurd to send her in weapon less. She guiltily hoped that the other pirates would cope with the fighting without her, though she knew if she had to use them, she would.

Grace's little party stooped to an abrupt halt just by the beginnings of the forest, all heads turned Eastwards ready for the second signal which would send them in.

The second signal would not be as discreet as the first, in fact, no where near as discreet as the first, and Grace was worried about the result of it.

Everyone waited patiently, almost dreading the sign to go. But it was going to come, sooner than they were hoping.

BANG!

A red orb exploded in the sky, raining bright light onto the surrounding trees and sand. Following the flare came a horribly arranged synchronization of pirate yells and screams. Then, following _that _came the booming of guns, clung of blade striking blade, and the low hum of disturbance in the ruins of the castle a few hundred meters in front of them.

Vampires poured from the castle by the hundred, and Grace couldn't help but wonder in shock where they had all come from. They most certainly were not from _The Nocturne_. But there was no time to sit and ponder, as before long she felt Connor prod her hard in the back, pushing her on.

"I thought you said there shouldn't be too many, Grace!" Bart yelled from up front, over the battle noises.

"I'm sorry!" She cried back, "I have no idea where they have all come from!"

They rapidly covered the ground separating them from the castle, and they hadn't been spotted by the vampires yet, but looking at the numbers Grace felt it wouldn't be long before they did.

"And how exactly do we get in?" Connor whispered in a hoarse voice, as they stopped just before the trees began to thin.

"Around the back," Rodger whispered back, "They'll be too surprised to think about what's coming from behind them."

Bart was just about to tell him not to think so stereotypically, but when he thought about it he realised that the thick skulled dufus was right!

"The back it is," Bart nodded, patting the big man on the back, "Nice thinking, Rodger."

Another small party of four had also stopped before the trees thinned, and were throwing Bart confused looks.

_Around the back,_ Bart mouthed at them.

They too had pathetic expressions plastered onto their faces before they realised he was right.

The message was slowly passed up the groups waiting by the treeline, and they all filed through the shady areas in single file and reached the back.

"OK," Bart whispered, as they all took in the mostly deserted back of the ruin, "Stay together, alright?"

Everyone nodded.

"Follow me." He whispered.

But just before he was going to begin running again, Rodger stepped in once more.

"See that guy over there, standing on the balcony?" He mumbled.

Bart just looked at him for a moment, wondering what he was going to come up with next.

"Yes?" Grace whispered, knowing that he wasn't as thick as he seemed.

"There's an open window beneath him, see?" Rodger said, then fell quite again.

Grace looked and saw that Rodger was right. Again.

"Bart?" Grace asked, as if requiring conformation.

"Yeah…good call." Bart said slowly, before setting off at a fast pace towards the guy standing on the balcony facing the opposite direction.

One by one, Bart, Connor, Rodger and Grace thudded into the wall next to the window.

They all held their breath, praying the vampire above hadn't seen or heard them…

…too bad.

Heavy, steady footfall was heard above them, and none of them beneath dared to even breathe.

"Hello? Is that you, Ken?" He said in a low, gruff voice.

More footsteps, creeping closer to the edge of the balcony.

"Ken?" The voice asked again.

Everyone grew horribly tense.

Silence. Everlasting silence…

"Chuck! Get over here!" A distant voice called, "We've got another invasion!"

The footsteps immediately commenced again, but this time away from the edge, and following the footsteps came a slammed door.

Everyone let out a breath of relief, but still no one dared to move.

"That man said _another_." Grace whispered to no one in particular, "What did he mean by that?"

No one took notice, and Bart was already half through the open window.

Everyone watched Bart go in fear for him. As his feet disappeared there came a loud metal clutter, followed by a low groan.

Tension claimed the atmosphere again.

"Coast's clear," Bart croaked from behind the glass, which was gleaming in the moonlight.

"Just mind the god damn pans underneath you." He added grudgingly.

Connor was the next to slide in through the window. No clutter.

Then it was Rodger.

"Ladies first," He stepped to the side.

"Uh, thanks." Grace mumbled, unsure of how to react. Was it common to practise manners in this kind of situation? It didn't seem likely, but Grace couldn't know for sure.

She slid through the window with ease, being smaller in frame than Connor or Bart, and landed with a soft thud onto a worktop.

Connor offered her a hand down, which she accepted.

She noticed the pans and saucepans littered on the tiled floor with amusement.

"Come on, Rodger," Connor hissed.

Rodger got half way through, then got stuck, the window not allowing anything past his beer-belly through.

Bart handed Grace the lantern he had obtained from heaven knows where, and proceeded to help Rodger through the window with Connor.

Grace stood there, feeling rather helpless as she stood there idly with the lantern, watching Rodger in his struggle to get through the window, which wasn't particularly small.

She observed the room in the weak lantern light. In spite of the fact that she was standing in the midst of a ruin, she was also standing inside a fully equipped kitchen.

What would vampires want with a kitchen? she asked herself.

There was a lot that was odd about this place, but she knew it was best if she just got on with it without question.

There was a shuffle from behind the wooden door.

The boys at the window stopped, filling with dread.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

"_What is it, Ken?" _

"_I heard something…"_

"_I didn't."_

"_It was a minute ago. Crashing."_

"_Yeah, well, there is a battle going on outside, in case it's escaped your attention. A load of bloodthirsty pirates raiding us at the dead of night - they don't know what they're in for. More blood for…Ken?"_

"_I'm going to check it out…"_

"_Fine, it's probably just a rat."_

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Footsteps were getting closer by the second, and they had a rather large pirate lodged inside a window. Not very discreet.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Hide. Was the first thing that came to Grace's mind. But what about Rodger?

Thump. Thump. Thump.

He was at the door. The other side of the door. She was still standing in the middle of the kitchen.

She could still jump into a hiding place, she could see a space large enough for her beneath a worktop. Rodger crossed her mind again.

Eeeeeeek.

He turned the door handle.

Grace was rooted to the spot in absolute horror.

Then she felt a soft warm palm take hers and drag her forcefully down to the floor.

Creek.

The door swung open, and Grace was practically sitting on Connor's lap in the worktop. She swiftly switched off her lamp.

As the door clicked shut, and footfall echoed throughout the kitchen with the tiled floor, Grace looked over to the window, to see the horrified round Rodger hanging out of it.

"Hello, there," The pirate laughed in a subdued, husky laugh, "How's it hanging?"

He laughed at his own cruel joke, and Rodger gulped loudly.

"Luckily for you, I already ate tonight," The vampire added in the same laugh.

Cold, icy fear bit into Grace at the heart as she heard the soft tinkle of a sword being dragged from it's sheath, and the wail of the blade as it sailed through the air.

_Chud!_


	13. Daggers in the dark

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**This chapter is really quite long (well, it was on word), but I'm glad we finally got here!**

* * *

_Chud!_

Ken's blade clattered to the floor in mid swing. He stood staring at Rodger blankly, and rasping a little.

This confused Grace and Connor, both of whom were hiding like scared rabbits beneath the worktop.

Slowly, Ken doubled over and sunk to the floor, displaying the giant muscle, Bart, holding a bloody dagger.

He didn't look proud, or even disgusted; he also had a similar blank expression.

Then, without word Bart walked over to the window and helped Rodger out of the window. He grabbed him by his beefy hands and pulled hard.

Rodger fell to the floor, not too far from the vampire, and scrambled up immediately.

"Um…uh…thanks…" He mumbled, unable to prize his eyes from the vampire.

"Is he dead?" Connor breathed, as the two twins climbed out from under the worktop.

"Vampires can't die, can they?" Rodger murmured.

"Look, let's leave the bloodsucking man, please." Bart grumbled, stepping quietly over the saucepans to the door.

Everyone followed him without another word.

Grace wasn't sure either if vampires could die…could the living dead die again?

They all got behind Bart, and all held their breath as he reached out for the handle.

Crick crick crick.

He pushed the door ajar, and peeked outside.

They all watched his face, their nerves going crazy.

"Clear," Bart whispered, "Straight ahead or left?"

No one answered. No one wanted to be responsible for colliding with the vampires.

"Left." Grace murmured.

Bart glanced back, and smiled a little at their expressions. They looked like scared little children, especially Rodger at the back, but perhaps he was still recovering from his near-death experience.

"Left it is," Bart put a finger to his lips, and snuck out of the door.

Silently, they all filed out. First Bart, then Connor, and then Grace and then Rodger.

So far, so good. But surely they couldn't keep their intrusion a secret for much longer. After all, there were hundreds of vampires infested in the building; the chances were a million to one that they would get the vampirates away from the ruin without notice. Grace just hoped that the distraction team were OK. Well, relatively OK.

They crept in softly down a barely lit corridor. The floorboards were damp and partially disintegrated, which muffled their footsteps.

Grace switched the lantern on as they struggled picking their way through the darkness. She also hoped they could spot a staircase in the better light, for she presumed that the vampirates were being held captive beneath the ground, out of reach.

"Look for stairs," Grace whispered, "Down."

Bart nodded, and then took the party further up the corridor.

_Boom! Boom!_

They all stopped dead and looked anxiously about. Save for Bart.

"Cannons," Bart said under his breath, "God, I hope they're OK out there."

Everyone was silent for a moment, until Connor pushed them forwards.

"Come on, waiting around here is only going to make things worse."

So, they moved again.

There was posters and pictures on the walls, advertising things from very long ago. (Let's remember the year is now 2508).

Grace picked up dates, 1932, 1945, and 1942. Things like mars bar and jelly bean posters were peeling off the walls in yellow sheets.

They reached the end of the corridor, and were confronted by three doors: right, left or straight ahead.

"Right," Grace whispered in reply to the unspoken question.

If they were being held in a prison of some type, she guessed it would be about the centre. Common sense.

Bart nodded and opened the door slowly, hearing nothing behind it.

They left the somewhat decomposing corridor and entered a stone chamber. The walls, floor and ceiling were all identical; great grey boulders were piled on top of each other, no cement holding them in place or anything.

It looked like the place would fall apart if you touched it, but as Grace felt the stability of the place as her foot touched it, she had no worries.

It was a kind of tunnel, one that sloped downward and spiralled into inky black abyss.

"Lantern?" Bart asked, reaching his palm out to Grace.

She gave it to him and they descended down through the tunnel.

They seldom came across doorways, but each time they opened them it led into identical stone chamber, with a naked light bulb suspending from the ceiling.

Grace had seen that room before, and she knew they were close. She remembered the flustered Darcy in her dream, looking no different to what Grace remembered.

Grace felt a small heat generate from her chest as she thought about Darcy, and Lorcan too. How she longed to see them well.

They descended into the darkness, and it had become slightly wet and slippery now. Every moment or so, one of them would slip or slide.

Suddenly, Grace heard a soft tapping from beyond them.

She thought it was her mind playing tricks on her, until she heard it again. Louder this time.

"Guys," She breathed.

All eyes were on her.

"Did you hear that?"

Silence.

"Hear what?" Connor asked slowly.

Tap. Tip tap tap. Tap. Tap.

"That," She whispered under her voice.

Silence.

"There's nothing there, Grace," Bart reassured her.

The tapping sped up and got louder, you could hear the echo of it too.

"You hear _that_, don't you?" Grace whispered, brimming with fear.

"I hear that," Bart hissed, "Footsteps. Run!"

But it was too late for that now; rapidly ascending from the darkness came a pair of eyes, burning with golden flame. A pair of eyes she'd only seen in her nightmares for the last three years, and had hoped that she'd never encounter again.

* * *

"Sidorio." Grace breathed, her eyes widening as she saw him emerge like a king from his underworld.

Sidorio's golden fangs flashed as he reached for his broadsword.

But Bart was quicker, and had already sliced a huge cut at Sidorio's collarbone.

He was no different to what Grace remembered, except perhaps a little bigger. He still had those horrible eyes and teeth, and muscles the size of his head, if not, larger.

Swords sang as they soared through the air, before they collided with their enemies with a metallic _CLANG!_

Grace was slow to draw her swords; she didn't know if she could, or should, cope with hurting anyone. But then again, if Connor could do it, surely she could too?

As her swords finally left their sheath, more vampires emerged from the gloom, swords glinting in the pale light from the lantern, which was now on the floor behind them.

One vampire ran straight at Grace, yelling for all he was worth.

As their blades collided, Grace's confidence launched; even after running at her, he didn't have a very hard blow. And his eyes were fixed on his own blade, rather than hers or her eyes.

He had another shot, Grace parried it, another shot, she blocked it, another and another.

Grace tried to jab at him with the tip of the sword and…succeeded! A small spurt of blood came from his belly, and the man grunted.

He leapt back at Grace, making one shot after the other, and missing her every time.

Grace couldn't stand fighting much longer, so she ducked a blow and pushed him hard into the wall.

Unfortunately for him, his head broke his fall. And a _crack _echoed about the tunnel as his head split in two.

Grace felt sick as she saw the dark liquid seep from his head, and put a hand to her mouth.

"Hello, Miss. Tempest, was it?" A deep, daunting voice chuckled from behind, "Long time no see."

Grace gasped as she twirled around.

Sure enough, Sidorio was there, towering over her.

She could do nothing but stand there with her mouth hanging open. She had been hoping that he had died for some unknown reason, or at least hoped he wouldn't be involved, but that was foolish.

He took a hefty swing at Grace, nicking her left arm with his broadsword.

Grace cried out as blood dribbled from her upper arm and jumped back a few steps.

Quickly recovering from the surprise, she got her footing back and took a swing back at him, though, she knew it wouldn't do much harm on a great man like him.

She had been right; Sidorio parried the blow one handed.

"Come on," Sidorio smirked, "Surely _Grace Tempest _has more to offer than that!"

His words didn't anger her. She wouldn't let them. That was what he wanted. They both knew that Sidorio would beat her with swords at ease, and he just wanted to see her get flustered over it.

He took another blow, and this time it was crashing down toward her head.

She leapt out of the way, and the edge of her blade sliced a thin cut in his right arm.

Sidorio didn't as much as flinch as she did, and turned to face her again.

She glanced at Connor, Bart and Rodger, all in their own battles. No hope of assistance.

She took another jab at him, and again, only succeeded in nicking his skin.

As Grace ducked and dodged blows from him, it came to her realisation that he wasn't exactly agile. So, out of desperation, she sheathed her swords and made a run for it. Maybe she could escape him.

"Oh you little," She heard Sidorio grunt as she flew by him, "Coward!" He yelled.

Grace skidded and slided as she swept down the tunnel. She couldn't see where she was going at all, and just prayed she didn't run into another one of Sidorio's crew.

Suddenly, she lost her footing, and fell flat down on her backside. She continued to slide down the tunnel, now in complete darkness.

She couldn't see her hands as she held them in front of her, hoping to break the fall if she was going to make one.

Sliding blindly in the murk, all she could hear were cries from Connor, and the slinking of Sidorio's sword as it bashed against the wet stone. Grace presumed that he had fallen too.

Suddenly Grace jerked forward and her feet hit a wall.

She stopped to catch her breath, before she heard Sidorio approaching her rapidly. He was definitely sliding.

Grace scrambled to her feet, and felt about the wall desperately for a door, but found none.

Sidorio was closer now, about six feet away, slashing at the air blindly.

Grace speeded her search in vain, her hands dancing across the wall.

_Thud._

Sidorio had hit the wall. Hard. Grace had felt the vibrations.

She held her breath and pinned herself to the wall, hoping he would hear or see her. Surely vampires had better vision in the dark to mortals.

"Come on, Gracie," Sidorio panted, "There's no door down here. I know you're here, Gracie."

Grace tried to ignore him, and wished herself away from him. She closed her eyes.

Then there was nothing, just silence. A dark deadly silence.

Then she screamed.

A large, sturdy hand gripped her at her neck.

"Boo!" He teased.

"Let go of me!" Grace yelled, squirming and wriggling.

"Stop moving."

Grace continued to struggle, "Let me go, Sidorio!" She cried, though she knew it was useless. He had been waiting a long time for this.

She reached to her back holster for one of Cheng Li's swords, her fingers inches away…

…but Sidorio saw what she was doing, and made a grab for them. He ripped them from her back, nearly suffocating her in the process.

The holster had been fastened tightly to begin with, and it required A LOT of strength to prise it from her back. Grace already felt her ribs bruising.

She was still squirming, however; if Sidorio was going to get her, it wasn't going to be easy.

She kicked him and hit him as best she could, and, once again, he barely even flinched.

Suddenly, a pain ripped through her body at her shoulder, and she felt coldness embedded into her flesh.

She screamed again, not knowing what it was, but having a very good idea.

As she shakily brought her fingers to her shoulder, she felt the hilt of a dagger.

Before she could produce another scream, Sidorio lifted her up like a doll, and threw her down to the floor with all his might.

Grace slammed into the stone, hard, and became completely winded.

She turned over immediately, gasping for breath. Warm liquid dribbled from her nose and mouth, and she throbbed and ached everywhere.

She felt a particularly painful throbbing and the back of her head, and went to touch it.

Her fingertips met more warm oozing blood, but they also met something else: an opening in the wall.

Pulling on her final threads of hope, she put both of her hands either side of the gap, and pulled up with all her strength.

As Sidorio saw her feet disappear into the wall, he yelled, "No!"

Grace whimpered and laid on her back, breathing deeply.

Smarting pain sparkled in her lungs and throat as she did so, but she didn't care. She was away from Sidorio.

Fearing every sound that she heard, a chinking came from a few feet away from her.

It was lighter in the other side of the room, and she could just about see.

She jerked her head toward the source of noise, and a pair of blue eyes that she thought she'd never see again peered out at her.


	14. I just thought I'd drop in'

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**Just like to thank everyone for the reviews. Haven't had much time to read them, but now I have thanks to the ppl that did! I don't know what's up with this chapter, but it's quite boring, and not much happens in it. But the next one is gunna be action packed and…interesting P **

* * *

"Lorcan?" Grace breathed, her entire body aching, but her wide green eyes open and staring.

Lorcan just stared back at her with a shocked expression.

His mouth had been sealed with duck tape, and his hands were tied high above his head with thick, fraying rope. His nose and cheeks were bleeding, and both eyes had deep dark bags beneath them. He looked like he'd been dragged through hell backwards.

Grace gulped and she pushed herself shakily up, forgetting all her hurt for herself and feeling sick for Lorcan.

"Lorcan?" She whimpered again, tears welling in her eyes at the state of him.

"Darren! Get your backside over to the people in the brig! And get that stupid girl to me alive -" Sidorio's voice faded into the distance with his hefty footsteps.

Grace took a deep, wobbly breath, "We don't have much time,"

She dragged herself across the floor to where he was sitting, leaving a blood trail across the floor as she did so. She felt her heart flutter as she looked into his blue eyes again.

"Sorry in advance," She mumbled, as she got hold of the duck tape on his mouth and ripped it off.

"Ah!" He gasped, as it left his mouth.

His mouth and face still had some of the gluey paste stuck to it, but otherwise, it was clean off.

Lorcan looked back up at Grace, "Grace?" He whispered.

"Hi." She said dumbly, smiling weakly at him. They stayed there for a moment, just staring disbelievingly, until Grace threw herself back to reality.

Her eyes darted up to the ropes that bound Lorcan's wrists. She needed a knife…something sharp.

She saw nothing at all, only rocks and chains, and Lorcan wouldn't have anything on him.

She bit her lip nervously. Then she placed her thumb between her teeth and bit down as she brought the other hand to her shoulder, and grabbed the hilt of the dagger.

She winced and yelped as it slipped from her flesh. A dull throbbing achy pain radiated throughout her body making her slump a little.

She heard Lorcan gulp too as the blade left her body.

_Slick_. The dagger was out, and now she could cut the ropes.

"Are you OK? What happened to you? Why are you here?" Lorcan seemed to lose his patience, "How did you get here? Where's Connor? What are you -"

"I'm the one that's bad for questions remember?" Grace smiled a little as she pushed herself up, "And there's not enough time now. Sidorio's got his men on me and the team…" She broke off as she began to hack away at the rope with her intact arm.

"What are you doing?" He asked, "Why are you here?" He had clearly not paid attention to what she said.

"I'm here to rescue you," She mumbled, "Listen, there really isn't time. Where is the rest of the crew?"

"They're on the cell floor." Lorcan said quickly.

"You know where the cell floor is?" Grace asked, as she cut his wrists free.

"Yes." Lorcan nodded, jumping up, and looking down at her, "Are you OK?"

Grace nodded very slowly, not quite sure what he had asked her, her hearing had gone all strange for a moment. Then her ears popped painfully and she could hear again.

Grace was feeling slightly light headed from her loss of blood and her left arm was feeling a little numb from the stabbing. She reached out for the wall with her right arm and steadied herself.

She had Lorcan, that was one relief. But she had to watch herself; if she lost too much blood she'd pass out.

"Grace, you're not OK." Lorcan frowned, taking her hand and squeezing it, just like he always would.

Grace smiled feebly and squeezed his back, "We can't do much about that."

Lorcan nodded understandingly, then, suddenly, pulling her toward him, he hugged her tightly.

"I missed you," He whispered into her hair.

"I missed you too," Grace replied kindly, feeling so weak in his arms.

Suddenly, chains rattled and doors creaked, and footsteps pounded toward them in the pale light.

"Come on," Grace whispered, pulling away and rushing to the floor again, "We'll have to go this way."

"But the cell floor is in the opposite direction," Lorcan said quietly, crouching down beside her.

"OK, we'll find a way to get there." She replied, squirming through the hole in the wall again.

Grace slipped out, and Lorcan followed her.

Grace couldn't see much in the darkness, save for Bart's lantern flickering dimly at the top of the slope. But she knew for definite that no one was in here anymore.

"What is this place?" Lorcan asked, as he too protruded from the hole.

"I don't know," Grace shrugged, "It's some kind of stone chamber. What are those rooms that Darcy was in?"

"Darcy?" Lorcan asked slowly.

Grace could have kicked herself for that. Darcy had specifically mentioned that she hadn't supposed to contact Grace at all.

"I mean those rooms there," Grace said, pointing to a door further up the slope.

"I don't know, I've never seen them before. Maybe they're interrogation rooms." He guessed.

"Careful, it's slippery," Grace mumbled quickly as they made their way to the top.

"What do they interrogate you for?" Grace asked after a few minutes.

Lorcan hesitated, "I don't know. They ask us questions, like our names, where we died, how we died, the names of our donors…that type of thing."

"Why?"

"I don't know, Grace."

They reached the top of the slope, and Grace picked up Bart's lantern.

Lorcan winced slightly.

Grace noticed, "Oh, sorry. I forget sometimes," She mumbled, "But why would Bart leave his lantern behind?"

"Bart?" Lorcan asked, confused.

Grace looked up, "You don't think I came alone, did you? I couldn't have got in alone. We have the entire crew from _the Diablo_ here trying to get you all back."

"Why?" Lorcan realised how ungrateful that sounded, "I mean, why would they want to help us? No, I mean -"

"I know what you mean," Grace smiled as they approached the door at the end of the stone chamber, "I think Molucco is doing it for revenge."

"Revenge?" Lorcan was completely confused now.

"Never mind, I'll tell you about it later," Grace said quietly, "Which way for the cell floor?"

"I don't know from here," Lorcan frowned, "All I know is that we're supposed to be going _that _way." He pointed over his shoulder.

"Alright." Grace said quietly.

She pushed the door at the end open a few inches. She peered out of the crack into the corridor.

It was empty.

"Clear," Grace whispered, pushing the door wide open, silently.

Grace came out first, closely followed by Lorcan.

Lorcan closed the door soundlessly behind him, and looked up at Grace.

Grace looked up and down the corridor, searching for any hint of turning that would go back in the direction they came.

"Which way?" Grace whispered softly back to Lorcan.

Lorcan opened his mouth to reply, when -

- _thump!_

Something dropped down from the ceiling. _A person_. And not just any person; it was Sidorio.

The entire movement happened in less than a second as he swiped out two gleaming silver blades and held one at Grace's throat, one at Lorcan's.

Grace glanced to their left and right. A vampire emerged from somewhere behind the wall on each side, both clutching identical silver blades.

Sidorio's golden fangs and fiery eyes flashed as he snorted at his cruel joke, "I just thought I'd drop in."


	15. On Your Own

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**I'm not sure about this chapter. I guess it's kind of action packed, it doesn't really pause.. but I don't know. I'm a little confused, myself, on this chapter. Oh well, hope you guys like it!**

* * *

Grace and Lorcan were stuck. They couldn't go left, and they couldn't go right, and Grace didn't see much use in going back. They were stuck.

_No, _Grace snapped at herself, _We're not stuck. I've come way too far to be stuck._

It was almost as if Lorcan had read her thoughts, because simultaneously grabbed Sidorio by his wrists and plucked his swords away from him.

It was all just too easy, as strong as Sidorio was, he hadn't thought about if they tried to attack.

Grace and Lorcan looked at each other for a moment, shocked at each other's aggression, but they didn't get time to speak, as Sidorio drew out another two swords from his back holster…or rather, _Grace's _back holster. She recognised the two swords immediately to be Cheng Li's.

Sidorio turned on Grace first, bringing down his blades with incredible strength.

Grace knew she couldn't stand a chance in blocking a hit like that, especially with her wounded arm, she quickly stepped out of the way.

The sword plummeted into the floor, and Sidorio grunted like an enraged pig as he yanked the swords from the floor.

A _clink _rang in the air from behind Sidorio as Lorcan and the vampire on his side of the corridor crossed blades, and it soon progressed into the uneven chinking of a cutlass fight of two skilled pirates.

Before Grace could look back to check on the vampire on her own side, she heard a quick, swift tapping sound coming toward her. She went on her instincts and ducked as low as she could.

_Swish._

The sword whistled a fraction past the top of her head, her heart was racing with fear. Seeing a flash of silver from in front of her, she immediately jumped up from her feet, Sidorio's sword skimming the bottom of her feet.

Missing again, one of Sidorio's swords clashed into the wall behind Grace, and he dropped it from the jolt of the impact.

He went to grab it, but Grace was quicker as she leapt forward and scooped it up with great agility. She turned, in the same movement, face on to both vampires and they slowly inched closer to her.

They both had menacing snarls plastered to their thickset harsh jaws, their eyes glistening in great pools of fire.

They both swung at her in unison.

Grace's eyes skipped from one to the other in panic, and readied herself for the impact.

_Thud_.

She collided with the wall behind, successfully blocking the vampire's hit, but failing with Sidorio's, as the tip of his sword protruded from her cheek.

Grace yelped as sparkling pain tingled in the side of her face and she turned her face away from the blade, feeling the cool metal slip from her skin.

Warm liquid dribbled from the wound, at the two vampires looked hungrily at her.

Another hefty _thud _came from behind Sidorio, and Grace saw a body slump to the floor, blood gushing out of his mouth, between the gap between Sidorio and the vampire.

The vampire followed Grace's gaze toward the unanimated vampire on the floor.

"Darren…" The vampire mumbled.

He was caught out by his distraction, as Lorcan slashed at him with his blade, slicing his left arm open.

The vampire jumped back in surprise, clutching his left arm as blood oozed out between his fingers.

Sidorio glanced back and grunted again, as he took another hurl at Grace.

"Move, Ken!" Sidorio yelled in mid swing, seeing his companion standing idly out of the corner of his eye.

Grace blocked Sidorio's swing with all her remaining strength, and attempted to push him back, away from her and Lorcan.

He staggered back a step or two, but no more, and both the friends, Grace and Lorcan, were launched into battles of their own.

Grace verses Sidorio. Lorcan versus Ken.

A few minutes later, Lorcan was sweating buckets in his attempt to overcome his rival, and Grace was becoming extremely light headed and nauseated from her blood loss. Her wound in her shoulder had clotted and stemmed the bleeding, but she had not been aware that she had another wound on the middle of her back. She looked like she had laid down on a floor of wet red paint.

Her vision was blurring, and she dropped her weapons after blocking yet another swing from Sidorio. She fell to her knees. She couldn't fight anymore.

"Hehe, farewell, Miss. Tempest." Sidorio chuckled as he twirled his sword by its hilt on his fingers.

Grace saw the flash of silver, and saw it coming.

Was it going to end? As simply as that after everything?

Then another familiar chinking sound.

Surely Lorcan wasn't going to save her again.

She kept her eyes closed, awaiting the blow.

It took her a minute to realise it was taking too long, she'd be dead by now.

Grace opened her eyes, expecting to see Lorcan, leaping in to save her from a tragic death, like he would.

But, she gasped when she looked up.

Rather than the slender, blue eyed Lorcan, there was the round, brown eyes Rodger, crossing blades with the notorious Sidorio!

Everything else came in a blur.

Grace fell down on her back, feeling the blood slowly pump out of her open wounds.

She saw Bart, Connor and Cate launch forward and help Lorcan defeat his rival. Then after he was down, they all ganged up onto Sidorio.

Grace watched the swords flail about in the air, some drawing blood, some clinking with each other. Sidorio was putting up a tough fight.

Then, blocking her blurry eyed view of the battle, Lorcan crouched down before her, watery eyed.

"Grace?" His voice was distant and wobbly.

"Grace? Answer me…please, Grace,"

She couldn't suppress a groan of disgust as the blood continued to flow out of her. She was dog tired, and a strange bruising sensation tore through her back. She just wanted to sleep…

She slowly began to drift off, faintly aware of Lorcan crying out and shaking her by her shoulders, the voices were getting more and more distant with each passing second. Connor's face came into view, and he too was crying and shaking his head in desperation.

She heard Sidorio grunt and run away, then everyone talking rapidly.

"_We have to get out of here…"_

"_What about the Vampirates?"_

"_We've no choice. We have to go now.""We can't just -" The voice paused, "Fine."_

Grace took a moment to process the words through her mind, her blurry vision slipping away…

_Leave_. _No choice. Without the vampirates…_

"No!" She cried, shooting up from the floor.

Lorcan gasped and leapt back, shocked from her sudden outburst. She had nearly been dead, and she'd leapt back up from fear of leaving them behind.

Despite everything, Lorcan felt his heart flutter with pride for her.

"Take it easy, Grace," Connor choked through his tears, "We'll get you back on board safe and sound, don't you worry."

He leant forward and gave his sister the lightest of hugs, careful not to hurt her anymore.

Grace brushed him away, "I can't leave them," She felt her eyes sting, "I won't leave them."

"Grace!" Cate cried, "We have to go. We've done what we can, you're not going to last much longer."

Grace wasn't taking that for an answer. Slowly, wobbly, she got to her feet. She was light-headed and weak, but she didn't care. She couldn't leave them, not now. Not after everything.

"You go," She murmured, her words slurring, "You go. I'll get them."

"No!" Connor cried, "You won't. You'll come back with us, it's not safe."

_Safe_, She thought, _Since when was anything safe?_

Her concentration was slipping, and she shook herself to get back on track.

"I'm _going _Connor." She said forcefully, surprised at her own demand, "You've got to let me go. Would you leave Bart and Cate behind?"

Connor didn't answer.

"You wouldn't. I wouldn't. We're not like that." Grace frowned.

Connor hesitated, "They could have escaped already,"

"And if they haven't?"

Connor looked at her with pleading eyes.

He knew there was a very high risk of her dying, but he knew he'd do the same thing. And somehow, deep inside, he knew she could do it. She was stronger, smarter than him. She could do it.

He found himself speaking his thoughts aloud, "You can do it…" He murmured.

Grace nodded, than ran off, surprisingly fast, losing her balance briefly every two or three strides.

Lorcan went to dash off after her, his eyes pouring, but Rodger stepped in front of him.

Lorcan looked up at the round, beefy pirate for explanation.

Rodger didn't say anything, but there was a grim look on his face, as if he knew what was going to happen.

And before he could protest, Cate pulled him in the opposite direction from Grace and thrust a sword into his hand.

Grace was on her own this time.


	16. Every man has his price

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**OK. First of all, sorry I haven't updated for ages, but i was away for a month, then i had to have 2 operations and blah blah blah. But I'm good now! oh, and the last chapter i updated (just noticed) was like a draft type thing. so full of mistakes and junk, but hope this one kinda makes up for it!**

* * *

Grace opened her eyes.

Darkness. Just darkness.

Where was she? Back on the ship?

No. She was laid on stone. What was she doing there?

She blinked hard, then waited for her eyesight to adjust to the murk.

Slowly, pallor faces materialised into view, and Grace became aware of a pain throbbing throughout her entire body, and an itchy fraying rope that bound her hands together behind her back.

She moaned, as her memories began flooding back to her, which only made her feel even worse. She remembered the knife protruding from her shoulder, the attack on the fort, Sidorio, Connor, Lorcan, Darcy…

"Grace!" Someone hissed, "Wake up, please,"

Grace swallowed, her throat completely parched. "Whaaat?" Her voice was rough and uneven and her throat seared with pain as the word toppled from her lips.

"Grace, it's me. Darcy." Her voice wobbled slightly.

Grace shot up like a bolt, "What? Darcy?" She stammered, trying to find her face in the darkness.

"Grace? Are you OK?"

Grace felt a hand rest upon her arm gently. Her skin tingled from the light touch.

"I'm…I'm fine." Grace decided to tell her; there was no point worrying her even more than she had to.

She could see Darcy's face clearer now. Those round blinking eyes peering disbelievingly into hers.

There was a moment of silence.

"Grace!" Darcy cried, as if suddenly realising it was really her. Darcy threw her arms around her and squeezed the life out of her, "Oh Grace, you look dreadful. You have bags under your eyes and you seem to be bleeding everywhere and -"

"Let the girl breathe, Darcy!" Someone snapped at her.

"Oh, sorry," Darcy muttered as she released Grace.

Grace smiled weakly as she looked at her old friend, "Oh, Darcy, nothing seems to have gone to plan, and I'm not quite sure how I am going to get you out of here. I _did _have a plan, but it didn't involve me being on this side of the bars." She admitted, deflated, as she looked out of the cell.

Then, she looked around at the others in the cell with Darcy. She recognised most of them, but didn't know their names. Though, they were most certainly the vampirate crew. They were all peering down at her, some hint of recognition in their eyes but not much.

"So, we need to think up a plan, then, don't we?" Darcy sighed, brushing off her blotchy dress. She turned to the rest of the crew, "Any ideas, anyone?"

Silence.

"Useless," Darcy muttered, turning to lean on the bars of the cell.

"Hey," Grace realised, looking around, "Where's the Captain?"

"The Captain's only been put in another cell, he has," A young boy with a thick country accent spoke up, "Rumours going about that they're torturing him, after something they want."

Grace's eyes widened at the thought of torturing the Captain, surely not even Sidorio was sick enough to do that.

"But they are just rumours, fool." A lady retorted in a posh voice and perfect diction, "None of us know for sure where the Captain is, but we were hoping _you'd _know that." As she flicked her long blonde hair, the woman vaguely reminded Grace of Shanti.

"Or Lorcan," Darcy added, "Did you find Lorcan?"

"Yes," Grace nodded slowly, "We were all just about to leave, until I turned back to get you all…I don't remember anything else."

"How was he? We haven't seen him for days, weeks…Lorcan was the one who was keeping us together…" Darcy trailed off, mumbling to herself.

"He was OK. He is OK." Grace corrected herself, "He's with Connor and the crew from _The Diablo_ right now."

"What crew?" Someone from the crowd asked, "Can we trust them?"

Everyone listened intently for an answer. Grace guessed Sidorio kidnapping them really shaken them.

"Yes, you can trust them. My twin brother, Connor, is part of the crew. They're here to help you." Grace reassured them.

"But you said you were all just about to leave. Doesn't that mean you're now on your own?" The girl with the long blonde hair asked.

Grace held her gaze for a moment, then looked away.

"I don't know if they left." She admitted, almost feeling guilty.

"Well, that's just great," The girl spat.

"Amelia!" Darcy snapped, "Enough of that."

Grace pushed herself to her feet, despite the agonising pain that was now possessing her body, and staggered toward the cell door and began examining the lock.

"Has anyone tried to pick it?" Grace asked aloud.

"_Pick _it?" Amelia repeated, "Pick _what _exactly?"

Grace looked back at her, "Does anyone have a hair pin or watch or needle or something?"

No one said they did.

"Alright," Grace said, trying to calm her thoughts down, "Does anyone know where the keys are kept?"

"Down the corridor in a box mounted onto the wall on your right." Amelia sighed exasperatedly, picking at her finger nails, "But we can't exactly reach it, can we?"

Amelia's sarcasm was really starting to annoy Grace but she remained silent.

"Well, OK…" Grace was searching desperately for some kind of answer, some kind of escape.

"I hate these bloody foreigners." A voice grumbled in the distance, "Can't even pronounce my name! It's _Tómas _not _Thomas. _Narrow-minded…" His voice trailed off as Grace realised something.

She _understood _him. She understood every word that passed his lips. But he wasn't speaking in English. He was speaking in Spanish. **( I'm just going to write the 'Spanish' in English to make everyone's lives easier. Basically if Tómas speaks, it's in Spanish, and if Grace speaks to him it's in Spanish )**

Grace threw herself against the cell bars, "Tómas!" Grace called, "Tómas!"

The mumbling stopped, and Tómas' footsteps crept closer to the cell bars.

"You speak Spanish, Grace?" She heard Darcy whisper.

"Yes," Grace replied, watching the Spanish bloke approach her.

As he inched further into the dim candle light, he revealed his muscular figure, his straight posture, dark hair and twinkling dark eyes. He wore light brown leather boots with black cotton trousers tucked into them, he also wore a black cotton shirt, open at the top. Grace figured he was a little older than she, twenty, maybe twenty five.

He eyed Grace carefully, "You called?"

"I need your help," She whispered desperately, not breaking eye contact with him, "Will you help me?"

Her accent was flawless. _I never thought Spanish would come into much use. I guess I owe this to Cheng Li. _Thought Grace.

"What is it?" Tómas asked, apparently intrigued.

"I need you to fetch the keys that will unlock this cell, and help my friends get out of here." Grace said, perfectly serious.

Tómas nodded, his face straight for a second, but then a grin broke out on his face, and he burst into laughter.

"You are funny, señorita, very funny indeed." He laughed.

Grace didn't laugh; it was what she had expected from him.

"But of course, Tómas, I do not expect you to do this for nothing. I shall repay you." The words passed Grace's lips before she thought about it.

How exactly was she going to repay him? She had no money, or anything of value.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, "Repay me with what?"

Grace hesitated, "You do not like it here, do you?"

"What do you have to offer?" Tómas pressed.

Grace looked at him thoughtfully. What _indeed_ did she have to offer him?

"One moment," Grace said, turning to face Darcy.

"Will he do it?" She asked, "Will he get the keys?"

"Don't be silly, Darcy," Amelia snapped, "If he had any common sense, he'll want something in return, right?"

Grace nodded, "But I have nothing to offer."

There was silence.

"Offer him a place in our crew," Amelia sighed satisfactorily, "Brag a bit, twist the truth, tell him what he wants to hear about us. Tell him you could get him punished for telling Sidorio he's been offering to let us escape. It shouldn't be too hard; he always sounds annoyed with something, the way he struts along these corridors mumbling under his breath."

"You want me to lie?" Grace gasped, "Promise him a place on _the Nocturne_? I can't do that!"

"Well, make yourself cosy, Miss. Tempest, perhaps you could find yourself a nice spot against those bars, because I don't see any other way out of here." Amelia smirked, folding her arms across her chest.

_She _obviously had no problems whatsoever in lying, but Grace did. She looked over to Darcy.

Hesitantly, Darcy nodded her head, "Amelia's right, Grace, I really don't see any other way."

Grace bit her lip and turned to Tómas once more. He was stood, waiting patiently.

"Well?" He asked.

"My friends have decided." She frowned, "If you fetch the keys and set us free, we will give you a place in our crew."

"And why should I want a place in your crew?"

"Because, the crew are better people. You'll be at sea, it's a nicer environment. You won't have to slouch around in dungeons all night long." Grace sighed.

"What about blood? I need blood."

"You shall get your blood. The crew has more…civilized ways of feeding than here."

"Do you know the way out? Where the ship is? Where you'll run if I set you free?" He questioned.

"Kind of." Grace shrugged, "I was hoping you'd help us out a little there."

He looked at her intently for a moment, his mind full of questions, "Why should I trust you?"

Grace smiled, "Why? I'm a prisoner in your dungeon, do you think that I'd lie about something like this? You'd kill me!"

Tómas nodded, half ignoring her. He was silent for a stretch of time.

"No. I shan't." He decided.

Grace wasn't going to step down, "Every man has his price. Name it."

Tómas smiled; clearly this was what he had been hoping for.

"I don't just want to be a part of your crew," He smirked, coming closer to the iron bars, "I want to be _Captain_."


	17. The Two Kills

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**Not exactly sure on this rather long chapter, to be honest. A lot goes on in it all at once, and for those queasy people out there - THERE ARE 2 GOREY BITS! Anyway, lol, hope you like it!**

Grace's eyes widened. Captain? There's no way she could promise that, there's no way she could _do _that. But this Tómas guy seemed pretty sure of himself, pretty stubborn. What was she to do?

"Urgh," Amelia butted in, "Grace, you are the expert here, but what this guy said sounded an awful lot like captain."

Grace felt the tension rise around her.

"Does he want to speak to the captain?" Darcy asked, completely oblivious.

Grace could help nothing but smile at her potty friend, but she sadly shook her head, "No, Darcy," She frowned, "He has no interest in meeting the captain."

"Then what does he want?" She still didn't understand.

Amelia and some of the others shot Darcy a look which said it all.

"_He _wants to be captain?" Darcy gasped, "No! That's impossible! No, we simply mustn't." She mumbled.

"What can we do?" Grace cried.

"Tell him no. Offer him something else." Someone called.

"Yes! Or threaten him that you'll tell Sidorio he's been fraternising with the enemy!"

The entire cell was launched into mass debate.

Grace and Darcy stood and watched in dismay with their hands to their foreheads for a minute, the noise in the room rapidly rising. Grace could hear Tómas speaking, but she wasn't taking in his words.

"Silence!" A voice rose above the others, flattening the noise to silence.

Everyone looked around at Amelia, who was standing there, looking rather irritated, with her hands stonily placed at her hips.

"Tell Tómas we agree to make him captain of us." Amelia snapped quietly, "Tell him what he wants to hear, Grace."

Grace glared at Amelia, "None of us have the authority -"

"Just do it!" Amelia growled.

Everyone looked at her accusingly.

"I know what I'm doing," She added softly.

There was a moments hesitation. And Grace felt guilt weigh in her stomach as she turned around to face Tómas. She looked solemnly up at him, plead welling in her eyes. What if Amelia didn't know what she was doing? What then? The captain would be absolutely heartbroken.

"Is there nothing else we can give to you instead?" She tried, one last time.

"No." He said surely, not a streak of doubt in his face.

Grace opened her mouth, but no words came out for a second. But as they did, she felt her heart skip a beat, "Then we agree."

A sinister smile stole Tómas' face, and he gripped the iron bars of the cell tightly so his knuckles turned white.

"Tell him to fetch swords, or any means of weapon." Amelia ordered, seeing that she had already promised Tómas the position of captain from the expression on his face.

Seeing no reason to argue with her, Grace did as she was told.

"You will need to fetch weapons if we hope to escape from here alive…captain." It pained her greatly to do it, but Grace had to believe in Amelia. She seemed to know what she was dealing with anyway.

"I shall be right back." He said, his smile getting even bigger at the name of _captain_.

"Oh, Grace, what have you done?" Darcy whined, clapping a hand to her mouth.

That just made Grace feel even worse; her tummy felt cramped, she was still aching from the wounds she received earlier, and now she felt sick at the mere thought of what she had just done.

"Don't put down Grace," Amelia frowned, "She's doing the right thing. And don't you worry about Tómas, I have him right where I want him."

"You want him fetching swords?" Darcy said, exasperated, "Amelia, you haven't helped us in the slightest. If anything, you've added to our problems."

_Fetching swords… _Grace pondered this for a moment. Amelia wanted him to fetch the swords, or the weapons rather. How would this solve anything? Was she going to lock him in the cell the minute he released them and take the swords for her own use? Or was she going to kill him? Suddenly thousands of possible plans sprung into Grace's mind, and she realised that what Amelia had done perhaps hadn't been so stupidly selfish. But was Amelia going to kill him herself?

Amelia had been watching Grace's face as she thought.

"Grace knows my plan," Amelia smiled, "She's figured out."

Grace looked up at Amelia seriously, "Are you going to kill him?"

Everyone turned to her, eyes wide.

"Don't get touchy, Grace," Amelia raised her eyebrows, "This beast has kept us locked in a cage like animals."

"Why didn't you think of it before?" Darcy folded her arms.

"Funny, I was just asking myself that." She sighed, "I'm kicking myself now; it was so blatantly obvious…oh well, we're doing it now."

"Two wrongs don't make a right," Grace stepped in, "Surely there must be another way of -"

"Look, Miss, we've just told this cocky fella that he can be captain. Quite frankly, I don't want him to be. But if you have an alternative plan of getting out with the same captain would you please share it with us?" Amelia snapped.

Grace didn't get a chance to answer, as Tómas had already returned with a pile of swords under his right arm, and a ring of keys in his left.

Tómas thrust a huge, rusted key into the lock, and pushed the cell open with great ease, though it did unleash a metallic screech as the hinges grinded together.

As soon as the door opened, Amelia stepped forward. "Tell him my name, Grace. Tell him to give the swords to me, that we're not sure if we trust him yet."

"But we just said he could be captain, he isn't -" Darcy pressed.

"Do it." Amelia sighed.

"Captain," Grace turned to Tómas, "This is Amelia. The crew will feel a lot more comfortable if you give the weapons straight to her. You may be our captain, but they do not trust you yet. Not until we're out of here."

Tómas shrugged, "Fine." And dropped the swords to the floor.

Grace's mouth hung; she couldn't believe it had been as simple as that.

"Thank you, captain." Amelia said loudly, with a big smile, and doubled over to pick one up.

Suddenly, there was a flash of silver, making everyone jump, then a red ribbon of blood splayed outward, staining the stone cold floor.

For a second, nothing happened, everyone stood in shock as Tómas' face drained from the little colour there was there anyway. His hands were clasped over his stomach, and his black shirt became sod with an oozing liquid.

A moment later, there was a sickening slush and a splat as a long, bloody fat worm slipped from his tummy. His intestines were spewed onto the floor in a repulsive pile, dribbling blood.

Then Tómas doubled over, face down into his own entrails, lifeless.

Grace turned around immediately to retch. How could Amelia have done something so…barbaric? It was one thing killing the man, but in that fashion…Grace retched again.

Fresh blood filled the room with a nauseating odour, and the entire crew left quickly and silently, Amelia in the lead, leaving Tómas' blood-spattered corpse behind on the floor of the cell.

It was one treacherous thing to the next; the moment the door opened revealing an ongoing battle between Sidorio's crew and _The Diablo_'s crew. Swords were singing as they swept through the air, blood spurted like fountains to the ceiling, moans and groans of strain and strength echoed in the hall. Familiar faces were laying still, eyes wide, on the floor, whilst the battle continued. There were people trampling through the graves of the dead, trying to make as many of the opposition join the people beneath their boots.

The front of the crew from the cell burst through the doorway, armed with swords that Tómas had collected, Amelia, once again, at the head of them all.

Among all the death and destruction, Grace saw Lorcan's face, his blue eyes filled with a rage she had never seen before. She saw Connor, his face more desperate than anything, and Rodger, and Cate and Bart. All were fighting for their lives and the lives of others. Some of which looked almost vengeful.

Her attention diverted for a moment, she didn't notice a vampire lunge for her. She was knocked sharply sideways, getting completely winded. She would have pushed him away from her, but she knew she was in no condition to even consider fighting. Her wounds still throbbed, and her clothes were sodden with blood. She slid to the floor, feeling helpless.

She saw the hefty tree-trunk legs of Rodger kick the vampire away from her. He then thrust a sword into Grace's hand, sweat pouring from his face.

"You must fight." He spluttered, then he turned around and started another battle with a different vampire.

Grace knew he was right, this was no time at all to be feeling sorry for herself. She took one last look at the brave corpses of the crews, and, filled with determination, she rose to her feet, gripping the hilt of the sword firmly. She strode over to where Connor was getting cornered by two of Sidorio's crew. She felt a little hesitation as she approached them, but the moment she saw the fleck of despair in Connor's eyes as he was being overcome with the ferocity of his opponents, she didn't even think twice about it. There was the quick rip of tearing flesh, and the glug of oozing blood, and Grace drew her sword out from the back of one of the vampires.

A thick red liquid dripped from her blade and she swallowed back the bile that was trying to force itself up. She didn't get time to let the guilt of what she'd done toll, as Connor slew the other opponent. Both slumped to the ground.

"Grace, what happened to you?" Connor became wide eyed at is sister, the blood that enveloped her startling him.

Grace knew she didn't have time to explain, so she gave him a weak smile and turned around to help others, though she was still trembling from her kill.

She then saw Bart and Cate fighting back to back, trying to clear a circle of them. Grace felt her heart race, and ran into about three of them, knocking them away from Cate. She felt the rock solid muscles behind the vampires' shirts, and got away from them as quickly as she could, stepping away.

While the vampires were still dazed and confused about the unexpected impact, Grace took up the opportunity to slice open one of the vampire's arms.

He shouted in pain, but then a red anger glinted in his eyes. However, by then, Rodger had leapt to her side, and his sword made a great arc in the air, before hammering through one vampire's head. There was an echoing crack of splintered bone, and the grey and pink matter of his brain splattered onto the floor.

Grace looked away immediately, not wishing to retch again, and skewered another threw the throat. Absolutely disgusted at her own violence, Grace let go of the blade and turned her back to him.

She breathed in deeply, unable to so much as look at a sword again, and through the water in her eyes, she saw Sidorio. Grace automatically tensed and wiped her eyes clear.

Sidorio hadn't seen her yet, not through everybody else, but she could see him. And who he had captured. Sidorio was dragging someone across the floor away from the battle field. And, despite the straw bag pulled over his face. Grace knew instantly it was Lorcan.

She watched him struggle and claw at the bag over his head and Sidorio's hand clasping his neck. Then they both disappeared through a rusting iron door.

Grace's heart fluttered. She couldn't face Sidorio, not even if she wasn't wounded. Could she get a party of the _Diablo _crew to come with her? No, she told herself, she'd just killed two people, she wasn't going to be responsible for anymore deaths. She looked longingly at the door. She'd have to do this alone. That was the least she owed Lorcan.

Mustering every last morsel of hope, bravery and strength that remained in her, she spun around, drew the sword from the vampire's throat, and ran as fast as she could to the iron door.


	18. Grace's Sacrifice

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**OK. Glad some people liked the previous chapter. **

**AND it's very important you know this before you start messaging me abuse, lol.**

**This story is not going to end as it seems to, OK? See if you can think of what I mean. But come on, who doesn't love a lil suspense?**

* * *

Grace hesitated before so much as touching the iron door, the very thought of Sidorio's fiery eyes and golden fangs chilled her to the bone. However, when she thought of Lorcan, with his smiley blue eyes and long dark hair, she immediately reached out for the handle.

Readjusting her grip on her bloody sword, and taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open.

The door was rusting, and the hinges were thick with it, so it let out a high pitched metallic squeal. No one noticed it though; there was too much commotion in the room to take note of a squeaky door.

She drew her blade closer to her body, watching the room on the other side with anxious eyes.

In front of her was a long stone corridor, lit with dim candles hammered into the wall, a left turning at the end.

The light flickered onto the floor beneath her feet as Grace inched forward, trying to control her panicky tremble. Even though her footsteps were light, the soft tap of her shoes echoed in the corridor.

She reached the turning.

She bit her bottom lip hard as she peered around the corner. She jumped back a little at what she saw; once more, Lorcan's hands were tied up with the same rope he had been before, above his head in the same kind of manner. And he was looking straight at her!

His eyes looked tearful as they locked in with hers.

"Go, Grace, leave!" He screamed at her.

Grace was slow to respond, unsure if he was looking out for her or scared. However, when Sidorio stepped in front of him, hands upon hips, he grinned goofily for a moment.

Completely flabbergasted, Grace cocked a head, wondering what the hell was going on. Why was Sidorio looking at her like that.

Suddenly, with a flash of his hand, Sidorio fired a gun and lodged a bullet deep within Grace's shoulder.

Howling, Grace tumbled to the floor, the bullet in the same shoulder as the wounded one.

Feeling stupid, she rolled onto her back, and watched Sidorio enter her vision.

"You should have listened to your boyfriend, Grace." He snarled, and he grabbed Grace by the shot shoulder, and began to drag her across the floor toward Lorcan.

Grace whimpered and moaned, clutching her bleeding shoulder with her hands.

"Stop, please stop!" She groaned.

He did stop. Sidorio dumped her in a heap in front of Lorcan. Lorcan's face was wet with tears.

"Please let her go," Lorcan cried, "She has nothing to do with it."

Sidorio slapped him hard across the face, "That's for crying like a baby!" He growled.

Then, he propped up Grace on his knee, pinning her shoulders back with his muscular arms.

"Anyway, Mr. Furey, you should know the best way to interrogate is to have two people; one to torture to make the other suffer even more."

"Interrogate for what?" Grace burst out. The question had been clinging to her for ages now, and now would be a good time to ask.

"Don't pretend you don't know!" Sidorio raged, squeezing her shoulders, "I want to know the location of your captain!"

The picture of Tòmas instantly appeared in Grace's mind, but she knew he wasn't asking for him. The captain was missing? That was odd, though, secretly she was pleased he had escaped, to where ever he had gone.

"I don't know! For the thousandth time!" Lorcan yelled, "I thought he was with you!""Lies!" Sidorio shrieked.

One of Sidorio's hands disappeared for a moment, and when it returned it was holding a silver knife.

"Mr. Furey, if you tell me where the captain's location is, I'll let you and your girlfriend go free. If not, well…"

He pressed the cold metal against Grace's neck.

"No," Lorcan breathed.

"What's it going to be, boy?" Sidorio snarled.

"I don't know, Sidorio!" Lorcan yelled.

Sidorio pressed the knife harder against Grace's neck, she could feel the cold, sharp edge beginning to dig in.

"Lorcan," Grace rasped, getting his eyes to stick to hers, "Don't let him get to you."

"I don't know." He repeated, looking Grace right in the eye.

She believed him, it was all there in his eyes. It wasn't too difficult to guess when Lorcan was lying to her.

"Mr. Furey…" Sidorio warned, changing the angle of the blade so the point was beginning to draw beads of blood from Grace's neck.

"He doesn't know," Grace coughed, "Can't you even see that, Sidorio?"

Sidorio grunted and threw Grace to the floor, and turned his back for a minute.

Grace crawled over to Lorcan, catching her breath. She was hurt in so many places she was numb.

"Oh, Grace, I'm _so _sorry." Lorcan frowned, looking at her struggle.

"It's not your fault at all." Grace reassured him, pushing herself up into a sitting position, "I should have listened to you."

_Bang bang_.

Someone knocked at the iron door.

"Captain, we have captives." A deep voice said from behind the wall.

Sidorio turned back to Lorcan and Grace, snarling derisively, "Bring 'em in."

Grace's heart skipped a beat; captives? What happened out there? How did they manage to get _captives _whilst all that was going on?As soon as she saw the people being dragged in with bags over their heads, her heart heaved. One was Rodger, another Connor and the last Cate. Bart wasn't one of them.

All three of them were squirming, screaming and punching and kicking blindly, they were not going to be imprisoned easily.

The three vampires that brought them in pulled the bags from their heads and tossed them aside. Sidorio turned his back away again, making it unclear to what he was doing.

"Grace," Connor mumbled as he continued to kick.

Connor, Cate and Rodger all looked from Grace to Lorcan with puzzled looks.

The three vampires held their prisoners down with one arm, except one, who had Cate, held her down with two. He appeared to be struggling with Cate's ferocity.

Grace sighed, and decided on trying her luck whilst she could, and heaved back onto her feet.

After shaking her legs off a little, she threw herself at the one holding Cate, plummeting her weight and remaining strength at him.

It seemed to work; both Grace and the vampire tumbled to the floor, and Cate reacted quickly and booted Rodger's vampire around the head with a high, powerful kick.

Rodger's vampire became slightly dazed, and Rodger elbowed him in the ribs, making him double over which allowed Cate to kick him again in the face.

Grace got back up to her feet and ran into another vampire, not creating the same dramatic impact as before, however; this vampire was stronger, and the lunge only unbalanced him a little. He then proceeded to grab Grace by the neck and pin her to the wall whilst Sidorio took care of Rodger and Cate. Connor was still under heavy pressure.

When Cate and Rodger were pinned down once more, Sidorio strided over to where Grace was being held. He walked right up to her face, and punched her double wounded shoulder.

There was a crack, and Grace screamed horribly and tumbled to the floor.

"Oi!" Connor growled and struggled violently again.

Without warning, Sidorio kicked Connor around the back of the head with his metal tipped boots, and Connor flew four feet forward, and laid motionless on the floor, blood seeping from the back of his head.

There was a moment of stillness and silence…until Grace broke it.

"No!" She exploded in a bloodcurdling scream, "No!"

Miraculously, she leapt up from the floor and straight to his side.

"No, Connor, no Connor, no Connor…" She repeated herself over and over again, caressing his head as she lifted it from the floor.

"_No Connor!_" The vampires mimicked, snorting with laughter.

Cate, Rodger and Lorcan were all shocked too. Surely Connor couldn't be dead. No, not Connor. Perhaps he just black out?

"Connor?" Cate murmured, bewildered.

Grace dug her fingers into his neck, searching desperately for a pulse…

…nothing, nowhere. She must be looking in the wrong place, she must be doing something wrong.

"Connor?" Grace wept, continuing to search his neck.

About five minutes later, Lorcan grew sick of the sight of Grace pulling Connor's head around in search of a pulse. Connor was gone, Lorcan could see that plainly.

"Grace," He said softly, choking through his tears, "Leave him, Grace. He's gone."

Grace shot Lorcan a look of pure horror, a look he'd never seen in anything before, and her bright green eyes seemed to dim.

"No!" She howled at him, "He's not, he can't be!"

Though, deep inside her, Grace knew it was true. She would know if her twin was still alive.

The undying laughter of the vampires rang inside her head and she shook hysterically with tears. She had to do _something_. There had to be _something _that she could do. All that time she spent with Mosh Zu Kamal, had she learned nothing? Was she nothing but a failure, a joke, a misfit? What could she do? How could she do it? THERE HAD TO BE SOMETHING!

Out of the corner of her teary eye, she saw a golden glint around Connor's neck. It was his locket, the one that was identical to hers.

"Connor," Grace whispered, "Tell me what to do."

Suddenly, memories came flooding back to her:

"_You're stronger than I am, you always were,"_

"_Yes, there's definitely something of the healers art about you…"_

"_Just go!"_

"_One day your luck will run out…"_

Grace felt dizzy and spun back into reality. Her memories had calmed her slightly, and she knew what she had to do.

She smiled down at Connor's face, laughing a little, "I love you Connor. Remember that."

Then, she took his hand and leaned over his face. She knew what she had to do, and she didn't know how to do it, but she knew it would work.

Slowly, she felt a connection lock between her and her brother, and she came swarming through it. It was almost like she and Connor were in a tunnel, and she was running as fast as she could toward him. She was getting closer and closer, and her strength was running low. But she had to get there, she had to get to her brother, she had to reach him. She inched closer and closer, her heart was slamming into her chest and her temples were bulging. So close, getting closer and closer and closer and closer until -

- _SWISH_!

Grace became limp and she fell into her brother's arms.

"Well done, Gracie." Connor breathed into her ear, "But you shouldn't have done that…"

"What?" Grace asked. But she couldn't hear her brother anymore, the light was dimming and Connor pulled away from her.

"Connor!" Grace shrieked as she flailed around in the darkness.

"I'll remember." His voice pierced into her mind, and she understood.

When Connor opened his eyes a few seconds later, he first saw Lorcan screaming and crying, and as he turned he saw Cate was too. When he looked down, Grace was laid motionless on the floor.


	19. A Waking Dream

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**OK, people, decided to skip the boring bit of dragging the unconcious Grace here and there, so just thought I'd sum that part up like this (hope it works). Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!! **

**AND SORRY FOR THELENGTH OF IT!! D Got carried away... **

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It had been three weeks since the catastrophe at Tortuga. Cheng Li had arrived to the fort with a back up of the pirates that set out to find _The Nocturne_, as they returned back to the boat rather fast; they found the masked captain on their way there, who claimed to know the location of his ship, and demanded the crew to take him to _The Diablo_ were he could converse further with Cheng Li on the current situation.

It turned out that the captain of _The Nocturne _had escaped through the sides of the castle when the attack upon the fort was made. And, rather than joining in the battle, he began to go out to _The Diablo_, where he bumped into the pirates. He recognised some of them.

The minute they recovered the vampirate and Diablo crews and _The Nocturne _herself, they sailed straight out to sea. Grace had been sent straight to Sanctuary, as the captain could not determine what she had done that night, despite the detailed descriptions of the witnesses or of Connor. Many of them wished to stay behind with Grace, like Connor, Lorcan, Darcy, Cate, Bart and even Rodger, but Mosh Zu would not allow it.

'_She must recover in the usual peacefulness of Sanctuary_' He would tell them, and he did get his own way. They stayed with Grace for a day, whilst Mosh Zu and the captains of _The Diablo _and _The Nocturne _decided on the course of action.

It was decided that Connor would go to _The Nocturne _during Grace's recovery, so he could be in closer contact with Mosh Zu and Grace. Connor was uncomfortable with the decision, but he didn't complain; he'd do anything to get him nearer to Grace at the moment.

It had been two weeks and no one had heard anything from Sanctuary, and Connor especially was becoming worried.

"What if something's gone wrong?" Connor would ask, "What if she's not recovering?"

Darcy and Lorcan's reply would be the same: "She'll be fine. Don't you worry yourself over it."

Though, secretly they were thinking the same. What if something _had _gone wrong? Surely Mosh Zu would inform them immediately?

"Maria," Mosh Zu called softly, "Maria?"

There was a moment's hesitation, a moment of blissful silence. Mosh Zu was standing majestically in the midst of the corridor of ribbons.

"Yes," Maria stepped into the corridor too from an archway, her arms laden with pots and bottles of Mosh Zu's wondrous salves.

"Maria, when you are done with that, would you please come to Grace's room?" He asked politely. Maria was his new assistant after Olivier proved to be no good.

"Of course," She smiled, and then disappeared behind the archway again.

Mosh Zu carried on through the corridor, his footsteps soundless. Grace was staying in a room separate from the others; her needs being very different.

Mosh Zu still had not determined exactly what was wrong with her, she seemed to be in some kind of deep sleep, she could not be fed because of her condition. But, despite of three weeks worth of starvation, she had not paled or lost weight. It was very puzzling indeed. Even someone of his experience had never encountered such a thing before. However, he did have a hunch.

As he wandered in and out of more and more winding corridors, he was thinking over the descriptions of what happened made by Connor and Lorcan – theirs being the most precise. He had gone over them many times, of course, but he still could not figure it out. What exactly had happened that night?

Finally, Mosh Zu arrived at Grace's door. Quietly, he unlocked the door and stepped into darkness. Enough moonlight seeped through the windows for him to light a few candles, and dot them about the room. It was nothing special, the walls were masked with thick, dark wallpaper, and the floor carpeted with a faded red spongy rug. The only furniture inside was a small two-seat sofa and a wooden table covered in pots and bottles – the same type ones as what Maria had been holding.

Grace herself lay amidst a sea of crystal white sheets, her face motionless and peaceful. Her wounds were healing very well; they were either scabbed or scarred. Though, some of the major ones, like the bullet wound, were still looking a little raw, though, that was to be expected. She hadn't eaten anything. The other ones were great in number but not that great in seriousness.

"Good evening, Grace," Mosh Zu smiled at her sleeping body, "How are you?"

He walked over to the table piled with pots, and selected one that was relatively larger than the rest.

He went over to the bed with the pot in his hands. "I haven't contacted _The Nocturne _yet Grace, please forgive me," He carried on, unscrewing the lid, "But I want you to be awake when I do."

A sweet scent of herbs filled Mosh Zu's nostrils, and he dipped his finger into a waxy white salve. He set the pot down onto the bed, by Grace's side, and gently pushed her collar to the side, making her shoulder and bullet wound visible. Redness and swelling had vanished, and it was beginning to scab over.

"You're doing nicely, Grace." Mosh Zu smiled as he smothered the surrounding area in salve, being careful not to make any contact at all with the wound.

When he was done he covered her shoulder back over. Grace let out a groan and winced slightly.

"I know," Mosh Zu laughed, "For something that smells so sweet it sure does give a nasty bite."

Mosh Zu looked at Grace's helpless face, then sat down on the sofa, burying his face in his hands.

It was so frustrating for him. Three weeks and he still didn't know what to do? That was useless! He went over again what Lorcan and Connor described the scene as, as he had already done countless times.

Grace saved Connor's life - that was for sure, but he didn't know _how_. To save a life – to _prevent death_ – was something great indeed. But it was complicated. There was no strategy, no magic spell or ointment for that. It had to come from the _heart _to save a life, and it was evident that Grace had nearly died in the process. Her body had reached a critical state, and had shut down on itself from exhaustion. But when was she going to wake again? Or, more importantly, _was _she ever going to wake again?

As Mosh Zu sat racking his brains for something he could try and experiment with, Maria walked in.

"Mosh Zu!" She gasped.

His head shot up, startled from the sudden interruption.

"What's wrong with Grace?" Maria's eyes were wide, her hand hiding her mouth.

Mosh Zu looked over to Grace.

She was trembling violently, and her skin looked slightly blue.

Mosh Zu just sat looking at her for a moment, a blankness in his mind, until he actually realised what was happening.

Maria rushed to her side and began surrounding her head with pillows to prevent any damage coming to her.

Mosh Zu stood and walked over, looking at Grace closely, "Stop Maria, she isn't going to hurt herself."

Maria reluctantly stopped, feeling utterly useless as she watched Grace shake.

Grace's lips were moving as she shook, but whatever sounds she was making were inaudible.

Suddenly it struck Mosh Zu as he watched her shake, why didn't he see it immediately?

He delved into one of his pockets and shoved a white ribbon into one of her hands.

"What are you doing?" Maria asked, terror filling her wide brown eyes.

"She is having a waking dream, Maria." Mosh Zu frowned, "It isn't rare to have one in her condition."

"I thought we didn't know her condition," Maria pressed, "What if it is rare? Why have you given her a ribbon?"

Maria was too new to know about the ribbons, she thought the corridor full of ribbons was just some bizarre décor.

"You won't understand at the moment. There's too much you do not yet know." Mosh Zu frowned, taking his seat back on the sofa, watching Grace with intent eyes.

"Then tell me,"

"Not at the moment." He was getting sick of Maria's questions at the moment, "Here," He handed her a labeled empty pot, "Brew up another pot of this for me, will you?"

She took the pot and read the label, then looked back over to Grace. "Yes, that's probably a good idea."

With that, she left the room.

It was a good ten minutes before Grace stopped shaking. He gave her a moment to calm down, for all the shake in her to wear off before he took the ribbon from her.

He threw Grace one last glance , to check she was OK, before reading the ribbon. Hopefully it would give him some indication to what happened to her.

He made himself comfortable on the sofa, and placed the ribbon across his palms, and closed his eyes, waiting for the little strip of silk to take its toll.

The ribbon reacted to his touch almost instantly, though, and it came so hard and strong it was like a slap across the face.

A dark grey murk opened up before him, and he felt cold, icy cold. He heard nothing but silence, a blissful silence. His limbs were frozen numb, and he could feel bubbles of air escape his open mouth, and slide across his cheek behind his head. He was underwater.

Suddenly, hands were upon him, and he was pulled backwards, out of the water.

Next thing he knew he was on a deck, looking up at a cloudless blue sky, but there was no sun. The warmth of the air clashed with his chilled body temperature, and he felt himself tremble against the warmth.

Then the vision changed dramatically; he vanished from the previous vision, and found himself in the midst of a white light. He was completely blinded for a moment or two, then the light swept from him. And he could see nothing. Then it came back around, hitting him in the face once more. The shock of the sudden light made him stagger back, and he fell off a step. He wasn't bruised or hurt, and as he looked up at the revolving light he realised something: he was in a lighthouse. The lighthouse Grace had once lived in with her father and brother.

A shrill laugh echoed through the room. And Mosh Zu could see the silhouette of a man leaning against a window pane.

But the laugh didn't come from him; it came from one of the two children tucked up into a ball on the floor.

"Sing the shanty, daddy!" A little girl giggled.

"Yeah, daddy, sing that song!" A little boy agreed with his sister.

The man leapt forward, grinning, and his face burst into view. "Arrgh, you wanna hear a tale of vampirates, do ya?" He growled, putting on an accent of a pirate.

"Yes!" The little children cheered.

As the light passed the small family, Mosh Zu got a glimpse of the children's faces, both staring up at their, for the moment, pirate father, with their large green eyes. And he immediately recognised them as Connor and Grace. What adorable children they were, Mosh Zu thought to himself, grinning stupidly.

'I'll tell you a tale of vampirates, a tale as old as true!' The singing began, and even though Mosh Zu's vision faded once more to darkness, the singing drummed on, and in his ear he heard someone whisper, _Sometimes madness is wisdom, Gracie._

He gradually spiraled out of the singing too, and found himself watching the happy memories the Grace had with Lorcan and Darcy, and the contrast between that and those sad, lonely days she'd spend at the pirate academy by herself whilst Connor was out. He watched her grow and change, and how she jumped into the sea, praying the vampirate ship would come. He watched everything up until the time of the attack upon the fort. He watched all the fighting and pain almost carelessly, and really focused when he saw Connor unconscious on the floor. He saw Grace search for a pulse, and give up. And then he saw her whisper something, then disappear into a tunnel.

When he had witnessed everything she did, and the ribbon died away all together, he opened his eyes to see Maria return with a pot.

When she saw him sitting on the sofa, grinning, she asked what he was smiling about.

He stood up and walked over to Grace, putting the ribbon back into her hand.

"I think it's time I made contact with _The Nocturne_."


	20. Pulse?

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**OK. I'm looking for this story to end in no more than5 chapters. I won't be updating again for a week because I'm away, but I'm trying to get as many of the Vampirates chapters written before I leave later on D **

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Mosh Zu had made contact with the captain of _The Nocturne _that very same day, only hours later from when he had read Grace's ribbon. The captain agreed to come the minute Grace woke up, deciding that Mosh Zu will need the peace and quiet to do so. Every hour, Maria would check in on Grace, and every day or two, Mosh Zu would come himself.

It was well into a week before he made any further progress with Grace, he had put together a drink with was to be trickled down her throat once a day, providing her nutrients to help her recover.

She was now moving around in her bed as she slept, which was definitely progress; she had not so much as twitched a toe for the past three weeks, and now she was tossing and turning like there was no tomorrow.

Another few days passed and she was beginning to wake up. Maria fetched Mosh Zu immediately.

Mosh Zu was doing group work at the time – the type he had once done with Lorcan – and could not leave them during it as it was with the ribbons. He told Maria to handle it, and he'd be there as soon as he could.

Maria reluctantly left Mosh Zu with his group of vampires, and scurried back to Grace's room, flustered.

Grace was now still however, and Maria immediately felt embarrassed to say that she had been fooled by Grace's tossing and turning. Of course she wasn't going to wake up like that, she scolded herself. Sighing, she clicked the door shut, and leaned back against the door, muttering under her breath.

"Hello?" A scared little voice crept across the bedroom, "Is someone there?"

Maria stared at the bed for a moment, almost disbelievingly.

"Miss Tempest?" She asked, feeling rather stupid.

"Who are you?" She asked, her worried little voice gaining a lot of sympathy from Maria.

"My name's Maria Sanchez, sweetheart." She got closer to the bed to see Grace stare up at the ceiling; Grace's eyes drew a complete blank. She didn't react at all when Maria clasped her hand in hers, she didn't even look at her.

"Are you OK?" Maria asked, trying to catch her eye.

"I…" Grace stammered, her words not flowing properly, "I can't see anything. I can't feel anything. Are my eyes open, Maria? Is this a dream?"

Maria bit her lip. Losing sense of touch and sight was not something good. She hadn't made any salves for injuries like that in her life. She could only hope Mosh Zu knew how to handle it.

"No, darling, this isn't a dream." Grace only looked young – about sixteen or seventeen. But, regardless of her age, she looked…different…almost wise.

"Where am I?" Grace asked, her voice trembling.

"You are in Sanctuary, Grace. Mosh Zu will be here to see you in no time at all." Maria tried to sound as reassuring as possible.

"Sanctuary," Grace repeated, "I haven't been here in a long time…"

Maria didn't know how to respond, so she remained silent.

About two minutes of silence passed, and then Mosh Zu arrived. Maria rose from her seat on the bed to greet him.

"She's awake, but she has no sense of touch or sight."

Mosh Zu frowned as walked over to Grace, wordlessly.

"Mosh Zu?" Grace mumbled, "Is that you?"

"Yes, Grace, it is me." He said, trying to sound cheerful, "It is so good to see you awake."

"I can't feel or – " Grace began.

"I know, I know. Don't worry; we should be able to get your sight back. We've done that before remember? Remember Lorcan had the same problem? As for your numbness, I'm sure we can come up with some kind of concoction, don't you?" Mosh Zu grinned, "We shall rise to the challenge!"

"Yes," Grace didn't sound as enthusiastic, "Thank you, though, for looking after me for all this time."

"No problem at all," Mosh Zu continued, "Would you like me to contact your brother and your friends? They're all eager to see you."

"Um, yes please," Grace flickered a smile, overwhelmed with Mosh Zu's warm welcome.

"Good," He nodded, "Maria, would you be so kind…"

"It would be my pleasure." Maria smiled, and then left.

A moment of quiet passed, and the only thing to be heard was the clunk of pots to her right hand side.

"Maria said I'd been asleep for three weeks…" Grace said, slightly uncomforted by it.

"Yes, you have." Mosh Zu turned to look at her, "Grace, do you have any idea what you did that night?"

"At the fort?" Grace mumbled, "Well, I did a number of things that night…"

"No, you misunderstand me," Mosh Zu frowned, "I mean with Connor. In a tunnel…?"

For a moment Grace thought he was going crazy, her and Connor in a tunnel? But then she understood.

"How…how could you know that?" She stammered, feeling uneasy, and slightly embarrassed. She wasn't sure if what she did was good or bad. Where was Connor anyway? He had to be OK – or at least alive – if Maria had gone to contact him.

"You had what we call here a waking dream," Mosh Zu explained, coming closer to the bed, "They have many names. However, fortunately, I had a ribbon left over from my group work when Maria called, and I put it into your hand so I could record what you were dreaming."

"You can record dreams with ribbons?" Grace asked.

"You can do many things with ribbons, Grace. Some good and some bad, but I will tell you more later on. I need you to tell me what happened with this tunnel."

"It was really quite simple." Grace frowned, "I saw Connor get kicked around the head, and he was just sprawled onto the floor. I searched desperately for a pulse, a breath, but there was none. I don't know _how _it happened, Mosh Zu, I really don't. I took Connor's hand and before I knew it I was in this tunnel."

"Connor said something to you, though. What did he say?"

"He told me I shouldn't have done it, and that he'd remember." Grace sighed, "I don't think he thought I'd ever see him again."

There was an awkward silence, and something in Mosh Zu's mind clicked.

"What is it?" Grace asked in a wobbly voice.

"Grace, I don't think you were supposed to wake up." He said quietly.

"What do you mean? I'm awake now, is that good?" She sounded afraid.

Mosh Zu walked over to her, "Don't panic, not yet. I'm just going to touch your neck, OK?"

Grace nodded; her face was the picture of anxiety.

Mosh Zu bit his lip, his heart swelling with guilt as he searched for a pulse.

Grace suddenly took a sharp intake of breath, "You're looking for a pulse, aren't you?"

"Yes. Can you feel my finger, Grace?"

"Well, no. Just why else should you be touching my neck?" She frowned, worriedly, "I thought you had to be sired to be…"

"There are more ways than one, Grace." He frowned, and then he pulled his hand away. Why hadn't he thought of checking before?


	21. An Explanation

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**Thanks everyone! XD I was really worried everyone was going to hate me for doing that, lol. So I'm glad it didn't turn out to be a train-wreck. Yep, I did have a good holiday thanks, and yes, I will keep throwing the remaining chapters at you as fast as I can! I hope my 'vampire theory' makes sense to you all!**

Grace didn't have a pulse, and it was up to Mosh Zu to explain it to her. It was very rare for anyone to become, well, living dead, in the way Grace had. He had only ever known two people to do so in his immortal life: the captain of _The Nocturne_ and himself. However, Mosh Zu was kicking himself for not considering the fact that perhaps she was no longer mortal. She had the symptoms too: numbness and blindness. Though, admittedly, it was usually just the numbness, but it was possible to become temporarily blinded too. It was also possible to become deaf, and nauseated. And it was possible to have them all at once, which was extremely hard to deal with.

Although, Mosh Zu was still overwhelmed by what Grace had done. What she had done was amazing. She gave her life to reignite her brother's. Her brother had been killed instantly by the impact, and Connor had been right; she should not have done what she did. It was very highly recommended that healers did not tamper with death, though, he could not scold her; Mosh Zu himself had died in the same fashion.

Grace was a smart girl, though; maybe she had already figured it out for herself. But then again, there was nothing really to suggest that.

_The Nocturne_ was due to arrive in a few hours, and Mosh Zu and Maria had mixed up something which was showing almost immediate reaction and giving Grace back her sense of touch. The salve for her eyesight was still being made, but, according to Grace, it was improving gradually without the salve.

"Good evening, Grace." Mosh Zu said cheerily as he stepped into her room, "How are we feeling today?"

"Much, much better, thank you." Grace smiled, sitting up, "that medicine you gave me works wonders!"

"Yes," Mosh Zu laughed, "I suppose it does. I've brought some more of it for you, too."

"Will _The Nocturne_ arrive soon?" Grace asked hopefully.

"In a few hours, yes." He nodded.

There was a stretch of silence as Mosh Zu went over to the table littered with pots and bottles and began to rummage around.

"What colour is it?"

Mosh Zu turned around, "Sorry?"

"My ribbon," Grace had it wrapped around her fingers, "What colour is it?"

"White."

"Like Thom Feather's." Grace smiled.

"Who?" Mosh Zu hummed, "Wait, no, I do remember him. One of the members of Lorcan's group, if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes," Grace nodded, "The man in white."

"Indeed," He nodded, "I'm quite surprised you remembered him, Grace."

Grace smiled gently, "So, you never told me. Do I have a pulse?"

Mosh Zu was startled by how casual she sounded about it. "Well actually, that is why I am here."

"I see," Grace frowned, "You're here to tell me I don't" It was a statement, Grace really had figured it out by herself.

"No, you don't Grace." Mosh Zu frowned.

Grace nodded. "OK…" She sounded convinced, just not happy at all.

"You are taking this unusually well," Mosh Zu smiled at her.

"Well, there is no point getting upset over it. It is how it is, I guess. It just seems…weird." She frowned, resting her head in her knuckles.

"I need to tell you some things about this first," Mosh Zu told her, "And you must listen carefully."

Grace nodded, her eyes moving toward his voice.

"Firstly, you will never feel hungry or thirsty again." He said slowly.

"Yes, I…" She stopped dead, a thought coming to mind, "Will I…shouldn't I…"

"No," Mosh Zu shook his head, "No blood for you, Grace."

She let out a massive sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. But why do –"

"Mosh Zu!" Maria scurried in, "Sir, there's a stir-up in the hall!"

Mosh Zu stood immediately, "Grace, I'll be right back." Then, without another word, both Mosh Zu and his assistant disappeared.

Grace sat on the bed, cross-legged. She was sick and tired of staying cooped up in this room, with Mosh Zu walking in and out. She wanted to go _outside_, she wanted to breathe _fresh_ air. For a moment she felt she was being ungrateful, considering how much Mosh Zu and Maria had done for her, but she couldn't help it. She felt like a caged animal.

She found the edge of the bed and slid her legs off it, and attempted to stand. She had the feeling almost completely back in her hands and feet, everywhere else was still numb.

As she rocked slightly on her feet, and fell back down again, she smiled; it reminded her of Lorcan, all wobbly on his feet when he was blind.

She ran over what Mosh Zu had told her. She was _dead_. He was surprised at how well she had taken it, but she didn't think there was a need to worry over it. Lorcan was dead, wasn't he? She was just like him now and she didn't have to take blood either! It wasn't that bad. She could still see Connor and Bart and Cate. She may not be able to go out in the sunshine…no, it was best not to think about the bad things just yet.

She tried again, trying to push herself onto her feet, but she just toppled back to the bed. She tried a third, a fourth and fifth time, but didn't get anywhere until her sixth try, and she successfully stood – without wobbling.

She heard the door open and close, and Mosh Zu gasp.

"Grace, you can go walkabouts when _The Nocturne _arrives, alright? I'll get someone to take you. But please sit back down, the last thing you need is to be walking into glass bottles." Mosh Zu fussed.

"Walkabouts? Someone to take me?" Grace laughed, "Mosh Zu, I'm beginning to feel like your new pet dog!"

However, Grace did as she was told and got back in bed.

"Well, if you keep walking around like that then I shall have to find you a leash!" He smiled as he sat down on the end of her bed.

"What was wrong in the hall then?" Grace asked.

"Nothing," Mosh Zu shook his head, "Just a simple misunderstanding. Now, you were asking me something just before I left."

"Oh," Grace thought a moment, "Why don't I need to…um, drink…" She clearly didn't want to say it; just the thought of it made her feel queasy.

"Drink blood?" Mosh Zu raised his eyebrows, "The answer to that is very complex. A large amount of it is unknown, and the little that I do know is complicated, and extremely hard to explain."

"Well," Grace readjusted herself in bed, "You said _The Nocturne _doesn't arrive for a few hours, we have time."

Mosh Zu sighed; it was something very much necessary for her to know, which was probably going to make things even more complicated.

"OK," He said, "When you saw Connor, and realised he was dead, the only thing that crossed your mind was to stop it. You didn't want him to go, of course you didn't, and, it's always different for everybody as to how you will react. And, naturally, for a healer the instinct was to stop him from dying, even though he was already dead. You with me so far?"

Grace hesitated, and then nodded, "I think so, yes."

"In your case, you delved right into his soul – which was when you went through that tunnel – and you found the life source – which was Connor at the end of the tunnel. When you saw the dead life source (Connor) you felt the need to…revive it, I suppose. Still with me?"

"So, when I saw Connor at the end of the tunnel, it wasn't really him; it was the dead life source?" Grace asked, puzzled.

"Yes."

Grace nodded.

"Good." Mosh Zu nodded, "When you revived the life source, something happens. I don't know what. Some people like to think it's a gift from God; some think that it's a bounce back from the newly filled source; some think it's some kind of spiritual reserve in your own soul; and some like to think it's the other person's way of saying thank you. No one knows for certain. But what is for sure, is that when Connor came back to life, he took the life from you. And be it God's compassion, science or whatever, you lived too, and because Connor took the life that was yours, you became _living dead_."

Grace's eyes were wide with amazement; she wasn't expecting something as…magical as that!  
"You aren't a vampire, Grace, because to become a vampire you don't save anyone, you don't have to be a healer. You could be cold dead for _months _before you wake again. You need to be sired – which is something like an old spell to bring alive the dead – and you need to feed from blood because a vampire's body still needs it. The body doesn't know that it's dead. It needs the blood to survive."

"But a vampire won't die again if you deprive it of blood," Grace frowned, "Lorcan went a long time without blood…"

Mosh Zu nodded, "Perhaps survive was the wrong word to use. But you are right, a vampire will not die when deprived of blood; a vampire is already dead. But they will become weakened, take more time to heal from wounds, and with Lorcan it affected his walking. You remember?"

"Yes," Grace nodded, "That makes sense."

Mosh Zu sighed, "Is there anything you didn't understand?"

"It was a lot to take in at once," Grace admitted, "But, if it's OK with you, I would like to think about it by myself before _The Nocturne _arrives."

"Of course," Mosh Zu glanced up at a clock, "You have just over an hour."

He got up and walked to the door, "And Grace,"

"Yes?"  
"When they do arrive, I shall have to inform the captain. He will need to know. Would you like me to tell your brother and your friends?"

Grace thought about that for a moment, "No," She decided, "No. I'd like to tell them myself."


	22. Darcy's Optima

**Disclaimer: Vampirates belongs to Justin Somper.**

**OK, I think I'll let the final chapters be GracexLorcan fluffy, lol. I'm never usually that good at fluff, but I'll give it my best shot for you guys, cuz you're special like that XD.**Mosh Zu was standing at the gates, beside two hefty looking guards when they arrived. The captain had only taken Connor, Lorcan and Darcy with him; he knew Mosh Zu didn't like Sanctuary to be crowded with unnecessary guests.

* * *

"Good evening," Mosh Zu smiled warmly, "How was your journey?"

"It was much smoother than the last time _I _came up," Darcy grinned, though Connor and Lorcan didn't look as happy as her.

Unlike Darcy, Connor and Lorcan were not as enthusiastic as Darcy was, especially not Connor. He had seen Grace's limp, lifeless body. He knew there would be no good news.

"That is good to hear, Darcy," Mosh Zu always did like the optima that Darcy had.

"What has happened to her?" Connor blurted, "For weeks we have no contact, now all of a sudden you want us to come here?" He looked tired and restless, with big dark bags under his eyes; it was obvious he had worried himself sick. Lorcan didn't look too great either.

"Grace asked me to allow her to tell you all herself, save the captain, who I shall speak with in a moment." Mosh Zu sighed, "But before I say any more, come! Let's get you all inside!"

They all passed through the gates to the front doors, where Maria was standing, "Welcome to Sanctuary," She smiled warmly.

The captain lingered back a little to wait for everyone to go inside the doors, then he walked toward them with Mosh Zu next to him. The guards stepped inside the gates and locked them up tight.

"Guards?" The captain inquired, "I thought the gates to Sanctuary were always open."

"After Sidorio and the rebels," Mosh Zu explained, "I don't want any more stir-ups. The guards will inform me if we have any unexpected visitors, and I will see to them myself."

"Wise decision." The captain nodded.

Mosh Zu walked them through Sanctuary to a room opposite Grace's, but he didn't say it was hers. The room opposite looked like some kind of rec room – one similar to the one where Grace had met Johnny. There were a few of the rec rooms dotted around Sanctuary, available to different guests for different needs.

He sat them all down and the captain waited outside.

The walls were a pastel blue, and boxes of games were stacked high in the far right hand corner. There were sofas of a darker blue lining the walls and a coffee table in the middle. It was quite a boring room, actually.

The three of them sat down next to each other, looking up at Mosh Zu hopefully. Mosh Zu stood in front of them, his hands clasped behind his back.

"OK, before you can see Grace, there are some things about her present condition you must understand first," He said seriously, despite the horrified looks the three shot at him.

"Firstly, she is blind. But don't fret; it is only temporary. A salve is being made up for her right now. Perhaps you could help her out, Lorcan."

Lorcan just swallowed uneasily.

"Secondly, she is numb in the majority of her body, but don't worry, that too is also temporary." He smiled, "So, just watch what she touches. Being blind too it is easy for her to harm herself without realizing it."

The three nodded in unison.

"Very well," Mosh Zu smiled, "Follow me,"

They walked out of the rec room and across the corridor to Grace's room.

Mosh Zu knocked, then pushed the door open, "You have very worried visitors, Grace, is it alright if they come in now?"

"Yes!" Grace sounded overwhelmed with happiness, and that reassured them.

Without warning, Connor belted through the door and launched himself at his sister, squeezing her tight.

The sudden hug startled Grace, but she hugged him back tightly, "Connor!" She could tell it was him from his muffled yelps.

"Grace," Connor pulled away slightly, "How are you? Are you in pain? What happened?"

"Connor, I'm fine, I'm absolutely fine. How are you? Are you OK?" Grace grinned.

"Fine," And he hugged her tightly.

Lorcan watched the twins hug and smile, Grace was OK, they were both OK, and happy too.

"Where are the others?" Grace asked, "Did they come too?"

"We're here, Grace," Darcy smiled.

"Well what are you doing over there?" Grace laughed, "I'd like a hug please, Miss. Flotsam!"

Darcy giggled and Connor got off of Grace as she hugged her friend.

Darcy was gentle with her, "Oh, Grace, Mosh Zu told us you were numb and blind! I was so worried!"

"Yes, I am," Grace smiled, patting Darcy's back, "But don't you worry, I'm on the mend!"

No one said anything for a minute.

"So, no hug from you, Lorcan?" Grace frowned jokingly, "That won't go down well with me, you know."

Lorcan laughed, "I was just thinking how we've switched places, is all,"

Then he came over and gave her a hug too, and held her tight. Connor noticed that they hugged slightly longer than himself or Darcy did.

"What caused you to get into this pickle, then?" Darcy asked, "I mean, I know you collapsed, but what…"

"I'll talk about it later," Grace said quickly, then felt guilty, would she actually have the heart to tell them?

They sat and talked a while, but Lorcan didn't say much, he found himself just staring at Grace. He knew there was something wrong, she was hiding something. But what could it be? He could see Connor knew too, but didn't think much of it. Darcy was completely oblivious to it. It hurt him slightly to think that Grace would conceal something like that.

It wasn't long before Mosh Zu stepped in.

"Grace, do they –"

"No." Grace shook her head, "They don't."

Mosh Zu nodded, "Would you like me to explain?"

"Um…I don't know."

"Explain what?" Lorcan was the first to ask – he knew something had been wrong.

Mosh Zu looked sympathetically at Grace, "You must understand, Mr. Furey, Grace must tell you in her own time."

That sounded vaguely familiar to him, but he disregarded it.

The captain also stepped in, sensing tension in the room.

"It's good to see you up, Miss. Tempest." His slithery voice seeped into her mind.

Grace nodded, "It's good to see you too, captain."

"If it is OK with you, I'd like to speak with Connor." He said.

"Yes, that's fine," Grace didn't really think about it.

She heard Connor get up and leave. H

"I think the captain wants to tell Connor," Mosh Zu frowned after they had left, "Perhaps now will be the right time to…"

"Could you stay, Mosh Zu?" Grace gulped, "There are some parts that I…well…"

"I'll stay," Mosh Zu smiled, feeling sorry for her in a way.

"I can't stand this," Darcy frowned, "What _did _happen to you, Grace?"

"I…I…" Grace muttered, not sure where to begin.

"Grace, if you're not ready," Mosh Zu began.

"Tell us, Grace," Lorcan frowned, his voice full of concern.

Grace felt pressured to say it, she felt she had to, that just made her worry all the more. Would they cry? Would they be angry with her? What would they say?

"I kind of…changed…" She mumbled.

"Changed?" Lorcan raised his eyebrows, "How?"

"Lorcan," Grace wanted to slow him down.

"Tell us."

"Lorcan, perhaps you should," Darcy tried to calm him down, but he would not have it.

"Tell us, Grace." He sounded firm, in a way Grace hated, "Why can't you just say it?"

Then Darcy and Mosh Zu broke out into restraining him, telling him to calm.

The raised, upset voices got to Grace, and she just blurted it out.

"I didn't survive it, OK?"

Silence absorbed the room instantly.

Lorcan and Darcy were mortified.

"You mean…" Darcy rasped, "You're a…you can't be a…"

"Not a vampire," Mosh Zu took over, "She isn't a vampire."

"Well, what is she?" Darcy choked through her tears.

"I'm just dead, Darcy," Grace wept, "I'm just…"

"She's something a little different…"

"Who did this?" Lorcan sounded shaken, "Why did this happen?"

"It…" Grace began, "No one…did anything it…" She couldn't finish her sentence through her incessant sobbing. She didn't know why she was crying, but she was. She wanted Lorcan to back off a little, she _needed _him to.

"Stuff like that doesn't just happen!" Lorcan pressed, "What…"

"Stop it!" Darcy shouted, "Back off, Lorcan Furey. How do you think she is feeling? For someone who doesn't like to say much about himself it's a little rich."

The sudden scolding took Grace and Lorcan by surprise. Though, secretly, Grace was thankful for it.

Lorcan realised she was right. He was being selfish. He was only being pushy because he cared so much, Grace knew that, surely. Maybe this was how Grace felt with _him _sometimes…

"I'm sorry…" Lorcan said quietly, "I didn't mean to…"

"I know," Grace cut him off, "It's alright. And, Mosh Zu, I think I can carry on with this. Thanks, though."

Mosh Zu nodded, and then left.

"You know what," Darcy said, breaking the silence, "Never mind, let's live on. In one way or another, Grace, you are immortal, which means you'll be with us from now on. And I have no problem with that whatsoever – in fact, I'm honoured. I don't care about whys and hows, and I'm pretty sure you don't want to talk about them right now. So, why don't we get you changed and take you for a walk about?"

Grace's heart leapt, she could always rely on Darcy to make her smile, especially at times like this. She grinned and her face lit up with happiness.

"There we are, you have a nice happy face on now too." Darcy laughed, "And so should you Lorcan. _You _of all people should be _over the moon _that Grace is going to be hanging around with us for a while."

Despite her numbness, Grace knew she was blushing.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Lorcan found himself blushing too.

"Look at you both, you lovey dovey tomatoes!" Darcy laughed, "Now, Lorcan, you get yourself out of here whilst I help this young lady get changed. Off you go!"


	23. Happily Ever After

Sorry about that ppl. It's pretty much the same except for a few minor changes around the fluffy parts. Call it being a perfectionist if you must, but i won't be able to live with myself if i didn't replace it with this! I hope you agree and think that the fluffy bits are slightly more realistic or whatever you want to call it. =] sorry i'm such a pain!

* * *

Darcy really had made Grace's day. She helped her get changed and ready to go out in less than an hour – which was good considering the trouble Grace was having with walking and moving in general.

Maria had come in too with a new pot of something else and told Grace to put more salve on her eyes before she went outside.

"We'll apply it just before bed too, dear." She smiled, rubbing a little more on her eyes.

"What's that?" Darcy asked suddenly, holding up something.

This got Grace's full attention.

"That's a ribbon, love, I'm not sure what Mosh Zu used it for, but he gave it to Grace whilst she was dreaming." Maria smiled wiping the excess salve from her fingers.

Grace smiled, "Don't worry, Darcy. It's nothing bad. Could I have it please?"

Darcy shrugged and handed it to her and carried on getting her ready.

The time it took for Grace to change, Lorcan thought it over. He had given up with puzzling over how and why, and gone by what Darcy had. He just had to be optimistic. He'd see Grace a lot more now – that was good, it was something similar to what he had dreamt about. And, Grace was probably just as shocked, she didn't need him to be fussing over her like a housewife.

Connor still hadn't come back; the captain obviously had more to say to him than just about Grace. Or he wasn't taking it well.

He heard Grace's door open and looked up. She was entirely dressed in black, and Darcy was having to support her as she walked. He couldn't help but smile; that used to be him once.

"Lorcan, do take her off my hands for a minute," Darcy said, putting her gently in Lorcan's arms as she turned to close the door.

Grace felt almost uncomfortable in his arms for the first time, but she didn't know why.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a pain," she frowned, hearing Darcy bustle about with the door.

"Don't you worry yourself over it." Darcy frowned, "It's my pleasure. However, Mr. Furey, rather standing there being helpless, why don't you get a move on and take Grace for a walk so I can clean this place up?"

"My sincere apologies, I had no idea I was irritating you, Miss. Flotsam." Lorcan smiled cheekily.

"Shut it, you." Darcy snapped playfully.

"Darcy, you really don't have to clean the room," Grace protested, "It's fine as it is!"

"Well, you can't see the state of this place, Grace." Darcy frowned, "So I'm not blaming you. But this is no pleasant environment for a lady such as yourself."

"It's fine, Darcy. Don't bother; you sound like a fussy old woman!" Grace grinned.

Lorcan laughed, as did Darcy.

"Not another word, you!" She grinned, waggling a finger at her, "You get a move on before I drag you out by your ears!"

"Come on, then," Grace sighed, "See you later, Darcy."

"Ta ta!"

Lorcan lead Grace out into the corridor, but he had to help her walk steadily.

"Right, left or straight?" He asked.

"Which way is outside?"

"I guess straight; it's sloping upward."

"That way, then." Grace smiled.

They both weaved in and out of corridors, forever heading upward. Eventually they found a door that lead to the gardens.

Lorcan pushed the door open with his foot, and a nasty lash of chilled air bit into their cheeks, making them both shiver.

"Are you sure you want to go outside?" He asked Grace, noting the frost that had blanketed the grass, brick walls and trees.

"Yes. Positive." Grace nodded as she slowly stepped outside, hearing the frost crunch beneath her feet.

Lorcan lead her through a few plainer gardens, well, more like lawns bordered with trees, until they reached a stone archway.

"This looks interesting," Lorcan smiled, peering through the archway.

"What is it?"

Lorcan described what he saw to her. There was a stone path that rounded the circular lawn. In the middle of it was an olive tree, old and ancient, yet stood as proud and as strong as ever. Walls of pale, crumbling stone towered ten feet high, also encircling the garden. There was a break in the wall at the opposite end of the garden, and instead was lined with an iron gate. Behind the gate was a superb view of hills undulating to the cliffs, it was grey and darkened by the wintry night, but it did not lessen the beauty of it.

Lorcan looked around, "It's nice here, isn't it? I don't remember this part of Sanctuary at all."

"Where are we?" Grace smiled.

"It's just a little garden, and there's this fancy-looking tree in the middle with black berries all over it. Never seen anything like it." Lorcan shrugged as he walked her around to the gate on the other side.

"When your eyes heal, you must come back and see this view, Grace," Lorcan said quietly, "It's really quite beautiful."

Grace sighed happily and grabbed the gate as she began to lose her balance again.

Lorcan helped steady her, laughing, "You're tall enough to fall over this thing now, and I shan't allow that! You really have grown a lot."

Grace smiled, "Or perhaps you have shrunk," She joked.

Lorcan smiled, "Well, I doubt it."

They stood there for a while in silence, the wind toying with their long hair.

Grace felt eyes on her all of a sudden, knowing it was Lorcan. It made her feel awkward.

"Please, don't look at me like that," Grace frowned, drooping her head a little.

Lorcan was surprised that she'd noticed but didn't show it.

"How did this really happen, Grace?" He sighed.

Grace frowned; she had been wondering when he'd ask that.

"Don't you remember the Sidorio incident? Connor was on the floor…he'd kicked him." She said quietly.

"I remember," Lorcan nodded, "But how did that do this to you?"

"It's difficult, Mosh Zu didn't even realise until he read my…" The ribbon, Grace realised.

She delved into her pocket and withdrew her ribbon. "See for yourself if you want. I don't know what's in it but it enabled Mosh Zu to understand what happened to me."

Lorcan hesitated, "I don't think that's such a good idea…if you don't know what's in it, perhaps there's something you don't want me to see."

Grace shook her head, "I don't have secrets. You may not know some things, but it's not a secret."

Lorcan took it guiltily, remembering the fit he'd had when Grace had read his, and leant against the railing, unsure of what to expect. He'd never read a ribbon before. Instinctively, he closed his eyes.

Grace waited patiently, wondering if it was possible to read your own ribbon.

A few minutes passed, and she sensed Lorcan stir. He handed her back the ribbon.

"Something about a tunnel?" Lorcan frowned, "I didn't understand too well."

"Yes, I did go down a tunnel. Connor was at the end of it." Grace nodded, "What else is in there?"

"Well, it started with you drowning; I presumed it was when I fished you out." Lorcan said, "But, when you flopped on deck, you saw a blue sky. On the night I rescued you it was a horrible, stormy night." Lorcan grinned, "Was this someone else rescuing you from drowning someplace else?"

"No," Grace laughed, "It was you. One minute I was looking at a sky, the next I was looking at your eyes."

"Really?" He grinned.

Grace nodded, "Tell me, what else?"

Lorcan told her everything he saw, pausing now and then to joke about the cute little girl he saw she was.

It had been hours before they had stopped talking about it, and they were both a lot happier.

Grace sighed, "Well, I guess I'm going to be around a lot more."

Lorcan smiled, "That you are. I'll be glad for your company – someone really has to be there for me when Darcy rushes up and asks for opinions on her new frocks."

Grace burst out laughing, "I can imagine that."

"Seriously though, what do you say when they are positively hideous?" Lorcan grinned, "Do you tell them that or blatantly lie?"

"No," Grace grinned, "You just say 'well, that's not my favourite' or 'I prefer the other one', especially to Darcy; she'll have you thrown overboard if you dared insult one of her best dresses."

"That she would," Lorcan nodded, "Well; lucky you get to take my place for all eternity!"

Grace smiled, "Eternity is quite long you know…surely we could make a rota or something."

Lorcan laughed.

She hadn't seen him laugh so much in one day before, it pleased her.

"Maybe we should go inside," Lorcan sighed, "Before we freeze."

"No," Grace frowned, "I like it out here, do you have any idea how long I've been cooped up in my room?"

Lorcan smiled, "Oh alright."

"Well, I guess I can stay on The Nocturne now, right?" Grace smiled happily, "I mean, I'm not an in between anymore. There's nothing to worry about."

"Well," Lorcan said slowly, considering the fact that the ship was, nevertheless, still teeming with vampires, hungry for blood. But whether they'd be interested in her blood was something he could not know.

"Well?" Grace tutted, frowning sarcastically, "If you want me to leave, you could just say so, you know." She laughed quietly.

"No," Lorcan smiled softly, "No, I wouldn't want that at all."

Suddenly, the years of his memory swept back over him – fishing her out of the water, the way he'd still be smiling hours after they'd seen each other, the way she'd look at him when he made her laugh and endless reels of memories. He remembered how sad and lonely she made him feel when she had to leave, how he'd stop feeding because he'd missed her desperately. It was embarrassing to think that he was crushing over his best friend like a silly little school boy, and even more embarrassing to think that she didn't feel the same way. But he didn't know that, did he? He'd never asked her before, and she'd never asked him. However, it wasn't something you brought up in casual conversation, was it? Then again…he wondered, pondering over it.

"Lorcan!" Grace's voice brought him back to reality.

"Hm?" He hummed, almost puzzled.

"Well, nothing," Grace grinned, "Just you were staring at me strangely for ages, I got a little uncomfortable with it. Are you alright?"

"Yes," He flushed, "Yes, I'm fine. Day dreaming, 'tis all."

Grace smiled and looked back to the view.

"You were right, you know." Grace said quietly, "It is beautiful out here."

The wind pulled at her long hair, and her delicate, pale face was against the wind.

Yes, you are beautiful…"Yes, it is." Lorcan spoke difficultly, trying ever so hard not to speak his mind.

Grace noticed this.

"Something's wrong, Lorcan." She frowned, firmly, "You're not…you."

Lorcan was hesitant. "No, I'm not." He frowned, "I'm sorry, just…a little cold."

When he didn't hear her say anything for a while, he turned to face her, to see nothing less than a very upset Grace, arms folded and mouth frowning.

A small smile stole across his face, "What's the problem, miss?" She reminded him of some upset schoolgirl.

"You're lying to me, Furey." She said, "I can read it all over your face, and you're never 'a little cold'."

Lorcan grinned, "Ah, you know me too well." He laughed, grabbing both sides of his cloak and pulling it around them both, "And I believe it's you that's 'a little cold'. Your ears are blue by the way."

Grace found herself wondering about the same things Lorcan had earlier. Did Darcy have a point? Were they really becoming more than just friends? She had waited long enough to find out, and it was obvious Lorcan wasn't going to say anything.

She turned her head to say something about it, but she realised she didn't even have to ask. Technically, she had been right, Lorcan didn't say anything. Rather than speaking, he kissed her as her head turned.

He seemed shocked when she kissed him back, so she smiled her way out of the kiss.

She grinned, looking up at him.

He saw her smiling and laughed, hugging her tighter.

After a while, Grace frowned and leaned in to him, "Do you think we'll see Sidorio again?"

Lorcan shuddered, "Well, it would be a blessing if we didn't."

"That's not what I asked." Grace grinned, leaning her head back into the curve of his neck, "Well, do you?"

"Well, theoretically," He frowned looking down at her, "Sidorio is also immortal, and something tells me he has nothing better to do than come around here and pick fights with us lot. So, yes, I do think we'll see him again. Why did you ask?"

"I don't think so." Grace said slowly, "I don't think we'll ever have to see him again."

Lorcan threw her a puzzled look, questioning as to why.

Grace shook her head and waved it off; she didn't know why, but Grace had a gut instinct, that she knew would prove to be right.

"Anyway," Lorcan smiled, "Never mind Sidorio, hopefully he's found a deep dark hole to hide in for the next year or so. Meanwhile…" He leant down and gave Grace another kiss.

**~~One year later~~**

Fire swelled from the ground, the smoke was so thick it muffled the bloodcurdling cries of the victims. The dark, stormy sky roared, throwing lightning bolt after lightning bolt at the sea shore.

Four figures stood, stout and proud, their silhouettes clear, bold and majestic, their snaky shadows just as impressing. The four pairs of eyes glared down at the victims, squealing and screaming.

Only one held the torch that caused the anarchy, he held it up to his face.

"May you suffer for all the lives you've so wrongly took." He spat at the ground.

Amongst the flame, rose a bald, hefty man. Parts of his skin had peeled back, revealing burnt and burning muscle, and his left hand was on fire. The stench of burning flesh and the popping of sizzling skin pierced the atmosphere like a scorpion's sting.

Sidorio retorted. "You've killed too, Captain," He yelled at the man with the flaming torch, apparently, the fact he was burning alive didn't hurt him, "Your God doesn't sympathise for any murderer! I'll see you in hell."

With that, he slumped down to the ground, the remainder of the fire claiming him. The four stood and watched until the hissing rain extinguished it, and then they turned.

The Captain drove his flaming torch into the ground, and there was a snake at his feet.

"That was for my brother." He mumbled.

By his side was a boy, his big green eyes emotionless.

"That was for my sister."

The other two, a muscular man and woman with heavy swords at their sides, exchanged glances.

"For the both of them." They said simultaneously.

Just off shore, a great vessel floated. As the angry moonlight hit the side of the ship, a clear name glistened in its fine curved letters. It said: The Diablo.


End file.
